ISAS Briefs

Pakistan’s recently concluded general elections scored an important first. It was the first time that power had been transferred from one civilian government to another via popular elections. This has generated a predictable amount of optimism amongst certain sections, both within and outside Pakistan, about Pakistan and for its relations with the outside world. One of the keenest observers of Pakistan’s recent elections was India. In the aftermath of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, India’s relations with Pakistan have plummeted to a historical low. Pakistan’s general elections provided an opportunity for India’s political leaders to reassess the potential to improve this bilateral relationship.