The resounding victory of Nawaz Sharif, a former prime minister and leader of the PML-N, in Pakistan’s elections has kindled cautious hopes in India about the prospects of charting “a new course” in the notoriously accident-prone relationship.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was quick to congratulate Nawaz Sharif and his party PML-N for their “emphatic victory” in elections and also lauded the Pakistani people for “braving the threats of violence and voting in large numbers.”
Manmohan Singh, who has invested considerable political capital in transforming relations with Pakistan, “expressed India’s desire to work with the new government of Pakistan in charting a new course for the relationship between the two countries.” The Pakistan-born Manmohan Singh also invited Sharif to visit India at a mutually convenient time.
Given his past track record and pronouncements on relations with India, Sharif’s third stint in power, after a 14-year hiatus, bodes well for India.
The electoral victory is expected to bolster Sharif’s standing in his dealings with the Rawalpindi military establishment that is often seen as “a state within a state” and has traditionally set the agenda on Pakistan’s India policy. Indian strategic analysts feel that a clear mandate from the people of Pakistan will give more space to the new civilian government in Islamabad to improve relations with New Delhi. During the campaign, Sharif had vowed to rejuvenate the India-Pakistan peace process.
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