Pakistan has just experienced the first democratic change of government in its history, despite a violent campaign by religious extremists to derail the election, but what changes can the people of Pakistan look forward to under Nawaz Sharif?
People across Pakistan have come out to exercise their democratic right to vote in elections for a new national assembly and four provincial assemblies, despite sporadic violence and two bomb blasts near some of the polling stations
Pakistan is in the midst of the most violent and an anarchic election of its history. The electoral politics in Pakistan has polarized the internal factions of society and more importantly of the powerful security establishment. Hundreds have been killed so far in dozens incidents of violence, mostly taking place during the elections campaign. It is widely believed that the results of these elections are strategically important to decide the narrative about the future of Pakistan.
Pakistan’s forthcoming elections on 11 May are monumental not just for Pakistan but for the West, which should be watching with great interest.
Pakistan’s former military strongman, the retired general Pervez Musharraf, recently returned from over four years of exile and declared his hope to contest the election and ‘save’ Pakistan by ruling the country once more.