(TibetanReview.net, Oct13’25) – As Nepal’s interim Prime Minister considers appointing a woman, apparently of Tibetan Buddhist heritage, from the country’s border with Tibet as a minister, the Gen Z leaders from her province have demanded that her citizenship be investigated, as also her alleged involvement in ‘Free Tibet’ campaign. Citizens of Tibetan ethnic and cultural heritage inhabit a significant area of Nepal’s territory but have always remained underrepresented in Nepal’s political establishment due to their low population and the dispersal of their land across different districts and provinces.
As Tashi Lhazom’s name surfaced on the list of potential ministers representing Karnali Province, the Gen Z leaders from the Karnali movement — Gen Z Karnali — issued a statement urging the government to verify her background before making any appointment, reported myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com Oct 11.
The report said she was reportedly being considered for appointment as Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens in the upcoming cabinet expansion.
Lhazom is a young climate activist from Humla, one of 77 districts of Nepal and lies in the Karnali Province. After online news sites reported that she was being considered for a ministerial position in the Cabinet, online discussions quickly targeted her citizenship, based on bogus reports questioning her Nepali identity. They also accused her of involvement in the Free Tibet campaign and of having Tibetan connections, noted a kathmandupost.com report Oct 13.
The myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com report cited Supriya Shahi, the Karnali coordinator of the Gen Z group, as questioning Lhazom’s Nepali citizenship status and her alleged involvement in the ‘Free Tibet’ campaign in the statement. It is not clear on what basis these questions are being raised against her, other than that the unsubstantiated allegations have appeared in online remarks and the group had not proposed her name for such appointment.
Gen Z members in Karnali have said they had held several rounds of discussions to select potential representatives from the province, but Lhazom’s name had never been proposed.
The group has also requested the government to take Nepal-China relations into consideration in such matters and to clarify if there was any foreign involvement. This apparently referred to the fact that former lawmaker of the dissolved House of Representatives Gyanendra Shahi had alleged foreign interference, claiming that the US Embassy was lobbying for Lhazom’s appointment.
“The government should not make any decision regarding Karnali’s representation without discussion and consultation with Gen Z members from the province,” the statement was further quoted as saying.