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Why it will be difficult for India if Imran Khan wins Pakistan elections
Imran Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), addressing an election rally in Karachi, Pakistan on July 4. (Photo: Reuters)
HIGHLIGHTS
Pakistan will be voting on July 25 to elect a new government in what may be called the elections of paradox. Two of the most influential players in the Pakistan general elections cannot hold any post after results are announced - Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Army. Nawaz Sharif has been jailed for 10 years after conviction in a corruption case. Pakistan Army, though covets power in the country, is wary of any attempt to take over the civilian government. It is still smarting under the Pervez Musharraf experiment.
Nawaz Sharif's in absentia conviction followed by his arrival in Pakistan on the eve of general elections leave no doubt that he is a key factor in these polls. His brother and PML-N chief Shahbaz Sharif is leading the party but lacks charisma of Nawaz Sharif. He is building his election campaign on the plank of development repeatedly referring to India's superiority in economic and military fields.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is another player in the election. India has the experience of dealing with both PML-N and PPP governments. While PML-N still is the leading political party in the Pakistan elections, PPP under Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is said to be a non-significant force this time around.
Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan has emerged as the key challenger to power in Pakistan. He is said to be in good books of Pakistan Army. Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) is the one party that has openly supported the idea of opening channels of dialogue with jehadi outfits in Pakistan. Imran Khan's emphasis on accommodating fundamentalist terror outfits has been so much that his opponents have described him as "Taliban Khan".
The run up to Pakistan National Assembly elections has seen a crackdown on the political workers affiliated to PML-N and PPP. Under the caretaker government of Nasirul Mulk, the Pakistan Army and its deep state ISI have emerged as the key controllers of administration. The crackdown on the two biggest political parties has been so hard that they have even been denied free media space for their election campaigns.
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam sit on a Lahore-bound flight at Abu Dhabi International Airport, UAE on July 13. They were arrested upon their arrival in Pakistan. (Photo: Reuters)
A frustrated PPP leader Farhatullah Babar was quoted by newspapers in Pakistan as saying, "Seldom before has the pre-poll process been so vitiated, so unfair and so grotesqueThe invisible political engineers seem desperate for a fragmented and divided parliament that is easier to manipulate."
The chatter mill of Pakistan politics have it that Pakistan Army is making sure that a "pliant" Imran Khan wins majority or near majority in 342-member National Assembly. Pakistan Army is not ready to give any decision making leverage to a civilian government in matters of foreign policy and strategic affairs. PML-N and PPP have in the past tried to break free by advocating peace with India. Imran Khan has emerged as a candidate with right blend of fundamentalist politics and military compliance.
Then there is outfits linked to designated global terrorist Hafiz Saeed. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)/Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) of Hafiz Saeed tried to contest elections through recently floated political party Milli Muslim League (MML). Hafiz Saeed and his terror fronts have been thriving on anti-India hate campaign in Pakistan. They are accused of launching terror strikes in India including the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in 2008.
Responding to the MML contesting Pakistan general elections, the US state department recently said, "We have repeatedly expressed our concerns to the Pakistani government about LeT, including the participation of LeT-affiliated individuals in the elections." The US state department had previously in April this year amended its Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) list by changing description of the LeT to add the MML as a "Lashkar alias".
Failing to get green signal for the MML, Hafiz Saeed fielded 265 candidates for National Assembly and Provincial legislatures. These candidates are contesting on the tickets of Allah-o-Akbar Tehreek (AAT).
There are speculations if Pakistan Army-backed PTI of Imran Khan fails to secure majority, Hafiz Saeed's candidates may join hands with it to keep PML-N out of power. Such a coalition government in Pakistan is bound to pose a threat to any efforts for normalisation of relationship with India
Imran Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), addressing an election rally in Karachi, Pakistan on July 4. (Photo: Reuters)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Pakistan votes in general elections on July 25
- Pakistan Army backs Imran Khan in polls
- Hafit Saeed has fielded 265 candidates in polls
Pakistan will be voting on July 25 to elect a new government in what may be called the elections of paradox. Two of the most influential players in the Pakistan general elections cannot hold any post after results are announced - Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Army. Nawaz Sharif has been jailed for 10 years after conviction in a corruption case. Pakistan Army, though covets power in the country, is wary of any attempt to take over the civilian government. It is still smarting under the Pervez Musharraf experiment.
Nawaz Sharif's in absentia conviction followed by his arrival in Pakistan on the eve of general elections leave no doubt that he is a key factor in these polls. His brother and PML-N chief Shahbaz Sharif is leading the party but lacks charisma of Nawaz Sharif. He is building his election campaign on the plank of development repeatedly referring to India's superiority in economic and military fields.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is another player in the election. India has the experience of dealing with both PML-N and PPP governments. While PML-N still is the leading political party in the Pakistan elections, PPP under Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is said to be a non-significant force this time around.
Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan has emerged as the key challenger to power in Pakistan. He is said to be in good books of Pakistan Army. Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) is the one party that has openly supported the idea of opening channels of dialogue with jehadi outfits in Pakistan. Imran Khan's emphasis on accommodating fundamentalist terror outfits has been so much that his opponents have described him as "Taliban Khan".
The run up to Pakistan National Assembly elections has seen a crackdown on the political workers affiliated to PML-N and PPP. Under the caretaker government of Nasirul Mulk, the Pakistan Army and its deep state ISI have emerged as the key controllers of administration. The crackdown on the two biggest political parties has been so hard that they have even been denied free media space for their election campaigns.
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam sit on a Lahore-bound flight at Abu Dhabi International Airport, UAE on July 13. They were arrested upon their arrival in Pakistan. (Photo: Reuters)
A frustrated PPP leader Farhatullah Babar was quoted by newspapers in Pakistan as saying, "Seldom before has the pre-poll process been so vitiated, so unfair and so grotesqueThe invisible political engineers seem desperate for a fragmented and divided parliament that is easier to manipulate."
The chatter mill of Pakistan politics have it that Pakistan Army is making sure that a "pliant" Imran Khan wins majority or near majority in 342-member National Assembly. Pakistan Army is not ready to give any decision making leverage to a civilian government in matters of foreign policy and strategic affairs. PML-N and PPP have in the past tried to break free by advocating peace with India. Imran Khan has emerged as a candidate with right blend of fundamentalist politics and military compliance.
Then there is outfits linked to designated global terrorist Hafiz Saeed. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)/Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) of Hafiz Saeed tried to contest elections through recently floated political party Milli Muslim League (MML). Hafiz Saeed and his terror fronts have been thriving on anti-India hate campaign in Pakistan. They are accused of launching terror strikes in India including the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in 2008.
Responding to the MML contesting Pakistan general elections, the US state department recently said, "We have repeatedly expressed our concerns to the Pakistani government about LeT, including the participation of LeT-affiliated individuals in the elections." The US state department had previously in April this year amended its Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) list by changing description of the LeT to add the MML as a "Lashkar alias".
Failing to get green signal for the MML, Hafiz Saeed fielded 265 candidates for National Assembly and Provincial legislatures. These candidates are contesting on the tickets of Allah-o-Akbar Tehreek (AAT).
There are speculations if Pakistan Army-backed PTI of Imran Khan fails to secure majority, Hafiz Saeed's candidates may join hands with it to keep PML-N out of power. Such a coalition government in Pakistan is bound to pose a threat to any efforts for normalisation of relationship with India
