With Nawaz Sharif gone, Pakistan Army will be even more in control. It’s bad for India

From the Indian perspective, and especially from experiences of the last few years, the choice of a new Prime Minister of Pakistan to replace Nawaz Sharif does not really matter. What matters is that democracy should not be derailed in the neighbouring country. Nawaz Sharif was elected Prime Minister through a democratic process and he, therefore, headed a people’s regime. His Government, and he himself, had many faults when it came to dealing with India, but at least New Delhi could entertain hopes of engaging with a democratically elected dispensation at a suitable moment. There were occasions when it seemed like Sharif and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be able to bring about a thaw in the relationship — Modi's sudden visit to lahore to greet Sharif on the latter's birthday and the apparently warm talks they had, was one such instance. But Sharif, like his predecessors, could not extricate himself from his Army's clutches. The Pakistan Army does not want relations between Islamabad and New Delhi to improve, and it has on multiple occasions done its bit to further that prospect. Unable to loosen Rawalpindi's grip, and with the Panama Papers adding to his woes (and eventually claiming his prime ministership), Sharif had begun to speak the extremist's language, hailing Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani, who was killed in Jammu & Kashmir, as a freedom-fighter. The ousted Prime Minister also had done little to contain the terrorist organisations operating from Pakistani soil and targeting India. In many ways, thus, his Government had proved to be no better than the earlier democratically elected regime of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). The PP too had come brimming with hopes of normalising relations with India. But then the 26/11 incident happened.

The ominous part for India is that, while a new Prime Minister takes charge, the Pakistan Army will be calling the shots even more brazenly. In other words, terrorist organisations, which have struck India in the past and threaten ever so often to repeat the act, will have a free run. These groups have the patronage of the Inter-Services Intelligence, which works in tandem with the Army. It's not surprising that terrorists such as Hafiz Saeed have been celebrating Sharif's ouster. What is worrisome is that those like Opposition leader Imran Khan, who speak of democracy, too have fallen into the trap. Of course, Khan's credentials are suspect as he has always been soft on terrorist groups and has scrupulously kept himself on the right side of the Army. But he mustn't forget history: Democratic leaders such as Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif have been shown the door by the Army. If Imran Khan believes in democracy, he must worry. Meanwhile, it would not be out of place to wonder whether Pakistan's judiciary will show similar ‘zero tolerance' to allegations of corruption against other prominent leaders as well. Critics of the judicial order disqualifying Sharif from office point out that the judges had jumped the gun. But then, the Pakistani judiciary functions strangely. It takes a soft stand against militants but finds its conscience in select cases.