Pakistan’s election: What the outcome means for Pakistan and the region

[Valin]

AEIdeas:

Reza Jan

May 13, 2013

 

 

Thousands of Pakistanis queue for hours to cast their ballots at a polling station in Karachi

 

Pakistan voted on Saturday in a historic general election that marks the first full transition from one democratically elected civilian government to another in the country’s 65-year history, a marked departure from its frequent bouts of coups, military rule, and puppet civilian governments.

 

Here’s what you need to know about the results:

 

The winner of Pakistan’s election, Nawaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PLM-N) party, is a two-time former prime minister.

The PML-N won enough seats out of Pakistan’s 272-seat lower house to gain a simple majority and will not need a big coalition in order to form a government.

 

(Snip)

 

What this means going forward:

 

Sharif is a seasoned politician and noted pragmatist. He will likely seek a cooperative relationship with the United States while simultaneously looking to decrease Pakistan’s role in the war on terror. Sharif has promised to make tackling domestic terrorism a major focus of his government but has also hinted at possibly holding peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban.

 

(Snip)