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The arrest for former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan last week and swift release following a surprise Supreme Court Order was yet another reflection of the persisting challenges in Pakistan’s military-dominated political landscape. Mehmal Sarfraz in Lahore tracked the developments for us.
On the one hand, the country is combating a painful economic downturn — inflation was at 36.4 % in April 2023 — and hoping for an IMF bailout package. On the other, the power wielded by the military continues to be a major hurdle in the country’s struggle to evolve into a real democracy.
Significantly, Mr. Khan’s arrest sparked an unprecedented show of public rage targeting the country’s military establishment. The Pakistani military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said that May 9 would go down in history as a “dark chapter”, pointing to “organised attacks on Army properties and installations, and anti-Army slogans”. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned members of Mr. Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for “committing unforgivable crimes”. Escalating his criticism of the military, Mr. Khan has accused the head of the army of harbouring a “personal grudge” against him.
“The military, which has staged coups and ruled for more than half of Pakistan’s existence, retains its influence. One of the reasons is that Pakistan’s ruling parties typically work with the generals to neutralise their political opponents,” The Hindu’s editorial noted. As Pakistan’s politicians fall into Army’s trap by attacking one another, it remains to be seen if the political ramifications of the current chaos include a popular resistance to the military, in favour of a progressive, democratic political rule.
Do watch our latest episode of World View, in which Diplomatic Affairs Editor Suhasini Haidar breaks down the recent developments in Pakistan and analyses how they will impact India and region.
How is Pakistan’s “all-weather” ally China responding? Days after the arrest of Imran Khan and widespread protests across Pakistan, Beijing was silent. The silence is only indicative of China’s broader approach to Pakistan, which has come to lean heavily on the military establishment, writes Ananth Krishnan.
The Top Five
Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla with members of the working royal family. | Photo Credit: AFP
1. Is the monarchy still relevant in the 21st century? – Narayan Lakshman in conversation with scholars Priyamvada Gopal and Philip Murphy.
2.Uzbekistan, which once backed anti-Taliban forces, is now betting on engagement – Stanly Johny reports from Tashkent
3. Facing the heat for an interview is a part of every journalist’s life, writes Suhasini Haidar
4. Who is Kemal Kilicdaroglu? G. Sampath profiles the Joint Opposition candidate challenging President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in what has turned out to be a rather close election
5. The problem with India’s multi-alignment stand – Vinay Kaura writes on the limits to India playing mediator between Russia and Ukraine
From the region
For decades, Sri Lanka’s queer community has been demanding equality and dignity. They held one of the largest pride rallies in a public space during last year’s citizens’ uprising in Colombo. File. | Photo Credit: Meera Srinivasan
1. Indo-Pacific is a reality and becoming more so with each passing day. It is a statement of our contemporary globalization and an underlining that we are getting past the framework of 1945,” said External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar at the 6th Indian Ocean Conference in Dhaka.
2. Cyclone Mocha highlights Rohingya crisis and Myanmar’s military campaign – Kallol Bhattacherjee writes on the need to resolve the Rohingya refugee crisis that started in 2017
3. Sri Lanka Supreme Court clears way for Bill to decriminalise homosexuality
US Watch
President Joe Biden, right, shakes hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. File. | Photo Credit: Reuters
White House announces PM Modi’s state visit to Washington DC in June. The visit has been in the works for months, with Indian officials working out the logistics for Mr Modi’s first state visit during the Biden administration, reports Sriram Lakshman.
In the run-up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the U.S. next month, the White House has said that the Biden administration regularly engages with India on human rights and that U.S. President Joe Biden “never shies away” from having conversations on rights issues with other leaders.
