New Delhi:
Pakistan's elections have failed to produce a clear winner, leaving the military's favored party to forge a coalition to govern. The country is facing days of political horse-trading after strong performances by independent candidates loyal to jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan hurt the military-backed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) chances of winning a ruling majority have reduced.
Whoever becomes Prime Minister, India will still have to deal with a problematic neighbor that harbors terrorists. We look at how Pakistani leaders in the running for the post of prime minister will handle ties with India.
PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has shown keen interest in improving ties with India. His party manifesto promises a “message of peace” to India, but only on the condition that India reverses the abolition of special status under Article 370 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir.
Mr Sharif, who recently returned from exile, acknowledged India's progress and global achievements and called for renewed diplomatic ties between the two nations. PML-N won 71 seats, while 13 of the elected 266-seat National Assembly were yet to be announced at 3.15 pm on Saturday.
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, 35, a scion of the Bhutto dynasty and leader of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), entered the electoral battle with a rich political legacy. As the son of Benazir Bhutto, he inherited a family history marked by tragedy and power struggles.
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's position on India is multi-faceted. While advocating normalization of ties, he also made widely criticized comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the US.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party leader Imran Khan had asked Prime Minister Modi in 2019 to “give peace a chance” and expressed his willingness to act on intelligence about the Pulwama attack in which forty people of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed. ) staff.
In 2021, Imran Khan welcomed a ceasefire agreement, emphasizing Islamabad's willingness to address issues through dialogue. However, in June 2023, he highlighted the lack of progress in the quid pro quo relationship with India.
Imran Khan's PTI defied a months-long crackdown that paralyzed the campaign and forced candidates to run as independents, with a combined performance that still challenged their rivals.
The military looms large over Pakistan's political landscape, with generals having ruled the country for nearly half its history since secession from India in 1947.