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Will change of guard in
Pakistan impact ties?
Imran Khan, the new Pakistan PM, is likely to attempt to do what
ASIAN DRAMA Nawaz had been preparing to accomplish, but without taking the
Syed all-powerful army into confidence
NooruzzamaN
hat the army in despite talking of Kashmir. Such a policy
Pakistan has been shift was not tolerable by the army ear-
The columnist — former aspiring for after lier, whereas this may be welcome now
Deputy Editor of The then Prime Min- because the people of Pakistan have
Tribune, Chandigarh — ister Nawaz Sharif hinted that they want their country to
specialises in foreign W was found to be too accord primacy to economic issues.
affairs. With a career inconvenient to be allowed to run the A new environment involving India
spanning 41 years, he government because of his independ- and Pakistan is likely to be created with
keeps close watch on ent style of functioning, particularly in Prime Minister Narendra Modi having
issues related to South matters of foreign and defence policies, made a phone call to Imran Khan to
Asian countries. The has become a reality. Nawaz, who had greet him on his victory in the elec-
views expressed are launched a drive to keep his country’s tions and Imran inviting his friends of
personal armed forces away from the political the cricketing days like Sunil Gavaskar,
power structure with a view to allowing Kapil Dev and Navjot Singh Sidhu to
democracy to strengthen its roots, has his swearing-in ceremony as Prime
been shown the door with little chance Minister.
of revival of his political career. With the BJP-led NDA government
In this task, the army got consider- in India and the formation of an army-
able backing from the judiciary, which supported ministry in Islamabad is
unseated Nawaz from the powerful an ideal situation to go ahead with an
position he had acquired through the agenda for improving India-Pakistan
democratic process. The PML(N) leader, relations. Though India is soon going to
barred from having any public office get into an election mode, that should
for life, has to languish in jail for 10 not make much of a difference. Devel-
years with his charismatic daughter, oping stakes in bilateral trade suits both
Maryam, too, having been imprisoned countries. This approach will help the
by Pakistan’s anti-graft body, the Na- Pakistan army too to acquire a people-
tional Accountability Bureau, for seven friendly face, which it desperately needs
years and this may prevent her from after its past operations harmed tribal
With the BJP-led NDA throwing any serious challenge to the interests and clandestine moves against
army-backed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf Nawaz Sharif.
government in India (PTI) government headed by cricketer- Though nobody can say with cer-
and the formation of turned-politician Imran Khan. tainty that the Imran Khan regime in
However, what is more interesting
Islamabad has this point in its agenda,
an army-supported is that the new Prime Minister is likely he gave sufficient hints in his victory
ministry in Islamabad to attempt to do what Nawaz had been speech for trying to improve relations
with India — “If India takes one step
preparing to accomplish, but without
is an ideal situation taking the all-powerful army into con- forward Pakistan will take two steps”
to go ahead with an fidence. Nawaz was believed to be look- to achieve this laudable objective. Of
course, only time will tell whether Im-
ing for ways to promote India-Pakistan
agenda for improving trade relations, and India would have ran behaves as he has promised.
In any case, most people in Pakistan
welcomed it. This is what Imran Khan
Indo-Pak relations may also do as he has been indicating want their government to focus on
Tehelka / 31 august 2018 54 www.Tehelka.com
