The recent Emergency fiasco and historically strained relations between India and Pakistan resulted in obvious economic set backs. A recent study by the Indian Council of Research on International Economic Relations indicated a trade potential of a whooping 11.7 billion dollars between just India and Pakistan which needs to be exploited with cited reasons being that of communication gap. However, with India’s prime minister being one of the most respected economists in the world, this could hardly be a reason. The arms race between the two countries and Pakistan’s dream of it being the most influential power in the sub-continent are the more likely causes of this trade deficit. When sports can be affected as a result of the Kashmir conflict, why not trade.
On December 15th, Musharraf revoked the state of Emergency (42 days) after being elected as the president. However, this honeymoon period will only last if the legitimacy of the constitutional amendments and the presidential elections are approved on the floor of the house in Parliament early next year. With Musharraf’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia, there was a rumor that the General was in negotiations with the Prince in case he was exiled. Not to talk about clandestine and publicized deals that Musharraf is striking with once bitter woes like Bhutto and Sharif!
Remember the disgraced Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan guilty of selling nuclear secrets to other foreign governments. Well, now Pakistan claims that its nuclear arsenal is secure. Musharraf has passed an ordinance making him the head of the National Command Authority.
Musharraf and not Restoration of democracy (which is still elusive) is the buzz word here. The upcoming elections will change or deter Pakistan’s course of progress
