After much waiting, Pakistan’s election drama appears to be over, with Shehbaz Sharif becoming the Prime Minister for the second time after his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) joined hands with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to form a coalition government. The two parties may claim that they have taken this step to save Pakistan from instability; however, in reality, this is only poised to exacerbate the economic and political chaos. In the days ahead, the new government will have its task cut out to alleviate Pakistan’s troubles while also pandering to the military’s whims and fancies.
In Pakistan, it is a known secret that the military establishment interferes in the electoral process and selects the laadla (a derogatory term for the army-backed prime ministerial candidate). However, the brazenness with which the electoral manipulation has occurred this time has caused widespread anger among people against the army leadership. Allegations of rigging notwithstanding, the military appears to have achieved its intended objectives without caring much about the people’s mandate. This is bound to have implications for not just domestic political stability but also for South Asia.
