Pakistan polls: An Indian perspective

Come Wednesday, some 106 million voters will queue up at polling centers across Pakistan to exercise their right in a crucial general election that has drawn global attention because of its possible impact on South Asian geopolitics and the Afghan peace process. 

Moreover, successful completion of the poll augurs well for the region as a whole, with countries such as Bhutan, the Maldives, Bangladesh, India and Afghanistan all due for elections over the next year. 

What is at stake for India as far as Pakistan’s impending parliamentary and provincial assembly elections are concerned? How do commoners in India view those elections, and what are their expectations? Given the myriad viewpoints, putting things into perspective from an Indian standpoint is no child’s play. 

The vast majority of Indians believe the words “Pakistan” and “democracy” are antithetical to each other, because of intermittent military rule and the inability of no less than 15 prime ministers to complete their terms in office due to military or judicial intervention. Pakistan has completed a decade of stable democracy, and its polity has undergone a radical structural shift from martial law to a parliamentary democratic system of governance.

But Hafiz Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, fielding 200 candidates across multiple seats is a red rag for New Delhi. The only silver lining is that the Pakistani electorate has steadfastly rejected political-religious forces, which is why most virulent anti-India outfits could not secure double-digit seats over the years. 

For the people of India, a democratically elected Pakistani government that invests in peace-building is of paramount importance. Despite sharing a common history and cultural heritage, Pakistan and India have been at loggerheads, further impoverishing an already poor region. 

Moreover, the peace-loving constituency in India is desperately hoping that Pakistan’s new leadership, with adequate reciprocity from New Delhi, will help reduce tensions along border areas, establish enduring peace on the volatile Line of Control, settle economic and water issues, ink a treaty to protect each other from terrorism, and resolve the longstanding Kashmir dispute amicably. 

Most importantly, for the sake of regional stability, it is high time that the political class on both sides stop exploiting this acrimonious relationship as an electoral dividend. 

– Seema Sengupta is a Calcutta-based journalist and columnist. She is a recipient of the National Award for Excellence, rendered in appreciation of services in the field of freelance journalism. Her articles are carried by many international publications.