Pakistan’s parliament on Wednesday elected Nawaz Sharif as prime minister, marking a historic transfer of power in a country that has undergone three military coups. The vote in the National Assembly was something of a formality after his party’s victory in the May 11 parliamentary elections. Yet it marked a turnaround for the 63-year-old Sharif, who served two terms in the 1990s before being ousted from office in the 1999 military coup. He spent nearly eight years in exile, mostly in Saudi Arabia, and five years in the opposition before regaining the prime minister’s office. After years of oblivion, he assumes the office of the prime minister for the third time when his country is besieged by problems ranging from terrorism to severe power shortage.
After his election, Sharif has expressed a desire to sue for peace with India. Prime minister Manmohan Singh had also greeted him and sent a special envoy to meet him even before he took office. However, Sharif’s ability to deliver on critical issues which are relevant for India is not totally under his control at this point of time. Another cause of concern is Sharif’s ties with radical Islamic groups. Even before becoming prime minister, he has already mortgaged some of his political capital by entering into a deal with them. New Delhi must be cautious before promoting him as a harbinger of peace. Instead of expecting too much from him, it should observe what he does to control his country’s military and rabble-rousing religious fundamentalists, both of which thrive on an anti-India plank.
During his speech at the chief minister’s conference on Wednesday, Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde revealed that Pakistan’s ISI has stepped up attempts to revive Sikh militancy in India and exfiltrate jihadi groups, hardware and finance across the border. The UPA government must wait for his moves to curb cross-border terrorism. It should not rush into peace talks blindfolded but make sure that Sharif delivers on his promises before resuming any dialogue.
