pkr result
In a stunning upset, Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has swept to power in Pakistan’s general elections. With 115 seats, the PTI is the single largest party and will be able to form a coalition government to usher in their promised “New Pakistan”.
This represents a tectonic shift in Pakistan’s polity, ending decades of dominance by the two traditional powerhouses – the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan Peoples Party. Voters have embraced PTI’s anti-corruption and reform agenda in a resounding fashion.
Indian Concerns Over New Regime
The prospect of a Khan administration in Islamabad has already set off alarm bells across the border in New Delhi. India has had a tetchy relationship with the former cricket star who is seen as being too close to the Pakistani military and taking an overly hardline stance on Kashmir.
Some of Khan’s earlier rhetoric about being an “insaniyat (humanist) not Hindu-vadi (Hindu nationalist)” and accusing India of inflicting “bloodbaths” in Kashmir has not gone down well in the Modi government. There are worries that PTI’s ascent could herald a frostier phase in India-Pakistan relations.
Potential Impact On Kashmir Issue
Of particular concern for India is how the new regime in Pakistan will approach the simmering Kashmir dispute. As chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Khan has been an outspoken critic of India’s hegemony in the valley.
He has advocated for Pakistan to take a more proactive stance on alleged human rights abuses in Indian-administered Kashmir and back the self-determination cause of Kashmiri separatists more assertively on international fora.
Such a policy shift could potentially increase cross-border tensions and flare up violence in the insurgency-torn region once again. India has already accused Pakistan of fomenting unrest and aiding militant infiltration, charges which Islamabad denies.
Economic Dependencies Add Complexity
However, India cannot afford to alienate Pakistan entirely given their high-stakes economic engagement. Over $2 billion in annual bilateral trade could be jeopardized if relations take a nosedive. There are also concerns about the security of vital road and air links through Pakistani territory for
Indian supplies heading into Afghanistan.
There have already been talks about revisiting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under PTI’s leadership. This $62 billion infrastructure blitz has been a major sore point for India which sees it as infringing on its sovereignty over disputed Kashmir territories.
A New Great Game In South Asia?
In many ways, the Pakistani election results symbolize the increasing great power jostling for influence in South Asia. While India remains the preeminent force, challengers like China have made deep inroads through projects like CPEC.
The United States also still retains significant leverage over Pakistan due to its military aid and anti-terror financing compliance campaign. How the new leaders in Islamabad deal with these push-and-pull dynamics from world powers like China, the U.S. and India remains to be seen.
For New Delhi, the road ahead with Pakistan looks bumpy and unpredictable. Careful diplomacy and tact from both sides will be needed to keep tensions under control. But if their past tenures are any indication, the prospect of repairing India-Pakistan ties under a PTI regime looks remote at best. Brace for a period of heightened turbulence in South Asia’s forever volatile powder keg.