Transition in Pakistan

As Pakistan comes to terms with the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, her son, Bilawal Bhutto, has been named the chairman of the Pakistan People8217;s Party PPP. That a 19-year-old should play this role may appear piquant, but it is entirely in the tradition of the subcontinent8217;s dynastic politics. Bhutto8217;s husband, Asif Ali Zardari, who will be the co-chairman of the PPP, will be for all intents and purposes in charge of the party8217;s destiny for quite some time to come.

Far more consequential, immediately, will be PPP8217;s stand on the time line for the elections. That Bhutto chose to contest the elections, despite the threat to her own life and the opposition of many other political parties, under the supervision of Pervez Musharraf8217;s unpopular presidency, must surely carry some weight with the PPP. Bhutto differed from many pro-democracy activists by arguing, rightly, that polls were a necessary first step in any agenda for transforming Pakistan. She also recognised that short-term cooperation with the army is unavoidable in the difficult transition towards a genuine democratic rule. At the moment, the Musharraf government has no option but to respect the sentiments of the PPP on the timing of the polls. A PPP decision to participate in the polls should encourage other parties to end their call to boycott the elections. To lend the electoral process some legitimacy and shore up its own collapsing credibility, the army needs to revamp the interim government to reflect a bro8ader national political spectrum and reconstitute the Election Commission to underline the prospect of free and fair elections.

This is a moment for India to demonstrate its empathy with the aspirations of the Pakistani people for a peaceful transition towards representative government. Given India8217;s high stakes in its neighbour8217;s stability and long-term ability to confront extremism, New Delhi should be lending Pakistan a helping hand without appearing to intervene. It is a pity, then, India8217;s moves over the last few days have been driven by considerations of border security rather than a strategic awareness of the depth of Pakistan8217;s crisis. The National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan8217;s remarks on 8220;insulating8221; India from Pakistan8217;s troubles reflect New Delhi8217;s entrenched bureaucratic conservatism that is incapable of responding to the policy challenge that Pakistan poses today. India8217;s interests would be better served if the political leadership of the UPA speaks up a little more and its garrulous bureaucrats a lot less about the situation in Pakistan.