Colombo, March 10: President Amir Ibrahim Nasir, President of Maldives, has ousted the Prime Minister, Mr. Ahmed Zaki, from power, banished him to one of the uninhabited outlying islets of the tiny Muslim Republic and assumed control, diplomatic sources in Colombo confirmed here this morning.
The bloodless coup resulting in removal of the 43-year-old Zaki, who had been heading the Maldivian Government since 1972 and was re-elected to the post in February this year, took place on the night of Friday last.
Mr. Zaki was stated to have been detained along with the Chief of Protocol, Mr. Jaleel.
President Ibrahim Nash has assumed powers under Article 37 of the Constitution which authorises him to do so in the event of an emergency.
No further details of the development are available here as there has been complete blockout of news from Male, capital of the Republic, and air traffic between Maldives and Colombo has also been disrupted since Saturday last.
Reports reaching here did not speak of riots or violence in the Republic.
A spokesman at the Maldivian Embassy said, “The situation in the Maldives is quite normal.”
Published – March 11, 2025 04:20 am IST