Why the U.S. can be happy about Pakistan's elections
Nawaz Sharif, the country's likely prime minister, has a history of pandering to Islamic extremists. So what's to celebrate?
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif moved quickly Monday to form a new government, after his Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) party came out on top in elections this weekend. The elections mark the first time in the country's 66-year history that one civilian government will peacefully transfer power to another, but Sharif's likely return has many analysts worried, given his previous government's penchant for pandering to Islamic extremist groups that have threatened to unravel Pakistan's democracy altogether. Does that mean Sharif's apparent victory spells trouble ahead?
On first glance, it would seem so. In addition to trying to implement Sharia law nationwide, Sharif's previous government was marked by Pakistan's first nuclear tests, a near-war with India, and rampant corruption. It ended in a bloodless military coup in 1999 that resulted in the ascendance of General Pervez Musharraf and many years of exile for Sharif. "But in a place with more than its share of bloodshed and tragedy, Sharif's rise can be seen as an auspicious sign," says Isaac Chotiner in The New Republic:
Another reason for optimism: Much of Sharif's campaign focused on fixing Pakistan's shattered economy, which he "repeatedly pledged to rebuild, to pull out of the morass," says Abbas Nasir in Pakistan's Dawn:
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And while he has troubling relationships with Islamic extremist groups, "nobody has ever accused Sharif, himself, of being an extremist," says Emily Cadei at Foreign Policy. His campaign went to great lengths to stress his track record of cooperating with Washington.
Some analysts, however, say the focus on Sharif is misplaced. That Pakistanis braved the polls despite a spate of attacks by the Pakistani Taliban is cause enough for celebration. "Take the most basic statistic: A voter turnout of 60 per cent, the highest in nearly 40 years, and that in an environment prickling with dangers," says Adnan Khan in the Toronto Globe and Mail. "That the election happened at all is a testament to the courage of Pakistanis and their desire to take control of their collective destiny."
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Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.
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