Pakistan Today

The landslide victory of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League in the February 3, 1997 elections may not give India’s neighbour a stable democratic polity as one would presume, nor is it likely to improve their ever tense relations in a hurry. Sharif would find his hands fairly tied when he gets down to the business of ruling the country. The President and the Army could always get together to dump him if he gets out of line. His massive majority in the National Assembly could also be utilised by a stifled opposition to drum up an agitation outside. Soon after his party’s thumping win, Sharif declared that he wanted to improve relations with India through dialogue and was against confrontation. “We have to learn how to live as good neighbours. Now is the time for serious dialogue,” he was quoted as saying. Gujral and Sharif have agreed to meet in future without haggling over preconditions. Despite the great distance to be covered, it is a significant step forward on the road to better relations. All these political facts make Pakistan Today an interesting study. This book serves the purpose of both the layman and the historians alike.

M.K. Akbar has had a brilliant academic career. In 1965 he passed M.A. in Political Science and was awarded the University Gold Medal for standing first. Akbar, a journalist, philanthropist and a socio-political analyst has several books to his credit. He is an internationally recognised authority on the Far East and for the past two decades, has been serving as an adviser an consultant to numerous organisations in various capacities.