Pakistan reaches milestone on rocky road to democracy

     After getting the nod from more than 60 per cent of voters, Nawaz Sharif has another mandate to run the country. 

      The power transition was peaceful and, in the context of Pakistani politics, where violence has become an almost daily reality, that means a great deal. If nothing else, it shows that ordinary Pakistanis are determined to move on and rebuild a nation shattered by decades of political deadlock and insurgency violence.

Sharif has twice before served as Pakistan’s prime minister, with his last term cut short by a military coup in 1999. With this new mandate, he has vowed to build a more robust democracy and end the military’s influence in politics. Though the army has returned to the barracks and permitted civilian rule to take root again, it nevertheless remains a potent force.

Improving his country’s relations with neighbouring India is also high on Sharif’s list of things to do. Inviting India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to his inauguration was a diplomatic gesture that the two countries can build on.

But it remains to be seen what actions he will take and what compromises he will make when it comes to dealing with the radical Islamist groups that have wrought devastation in Pakistan. How he handles this particular challenge will directly affect Pakistan’s vital but shaky relations with the United States. Washington has not always been comfortable with Sharif’s past dealings with radical groups.

But relations with the US have never been easy for Pakistan, either. The US military’s drone strikes inside Pakistani territory are not a popular subject, and it is very unlikely that Sharif will rally behind Washington on this matter.

Nevertheless the US is likely to place even more conditions on its financial aid as it continues its efforts to cut Pakistani support for Afghan Taleban militants based inside Pakistan.

For his part, Sharif should understand that his goals will be quickly shot down unless he can keep the military out of politics. This includes weeding out any attempt by military intelligence to play a double game – defending Pakistan’s sovereignty while at the same time making separate deals with radical elements in the Islamist movement.

Islamist movements in other Muslim countries have shown that they can co-exist with political parties and in the context of a national politic arena without compromising their principles. The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) in Indonesia and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) in Malaysia are examples.

Sharif will have to put his foot down and show those who are willing to use violence to achieve their political goals that they can no longer get away with it.

Members of the international community, some of which have played a part in the US-led multinational force in Afghanistan, are also concerned about Pakistan’s national and political future, because Islamabad plays an important role in guiding the Afghan peace talks. But guidance does not necessarily mean mediation, in this case.

Pakistan shares a long border with Afghanistan, and in this respect the country is a stakeholder in the Afghan peace process. And being a good neighbour also means refraining from interfering in Kabul’s domestic affairs. Essentially, it means respecting Afghanistan’s territorial integrity.

The peaceful transition from one civilian government to another is a good starting point for Pakistan on its road to much-needed reform. Given the regular interference from the military in state affairs since the country’s founding in 1947, this democratic milestone is an important one indeed.

And in the face of violence carried out by other anti-democratic elements, like the Taleban, the people of Pakistan have spoken. The country may not be able to solve every problem with one election, but establishing a durable democracy is a good start.