What's Next for Pakistan's New Government?
What's Next for Pakistan's New Government? On May 11, Pakistanis turned out to the polls in record numbers to vote in a momentous election: the country's first transition from one democratically elected government to another. The party of former two-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif quickly surged ahead on Election Day, easily winning a simple majority in parliament. But Sharif and his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz face a range of thorny problems, from a vicious insurgency to a crippling energy shortage. It remains to be seen what the next government's agenda will be, and how easy or difficult those goals will be to achieve given the strength of the government and the makeup of the opposition. Pakistanis and the international community alike will watch closely to see how Sharif's victory impacts security issues, including relations with the historically powerful military, and how a Sharif-led government will approach regional challenges, especially with regard to India and Afghanistan in light of the ongoing NATO drawdown. PARTICIPANTS Shamila Chaudhary Senior South Asia Fellow, National Security Studies Program, New America Foundation Andrew Wilder Director, Afghanistan and Pakistan Programs, United States Institute of Peace Malik Siraj Akbar Editor-in-Chief, The Baloch Hal Contributing Writer, Huffington Post Dr. Simbal Khan Pakistan Scholar, Asia Program, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Moderator Peter Bergen Director, National Security Studies Program, New America Foundation newamerica.net/events/2013/pakistan_new_government
