India-Pakistan: May 31, 2003

Archives

In Pakistan, the recently elected parliament (which is  composed of many  Islamic conservatives) is threatening president Musharraf with delayed budgets and other legislative pressures unless he gives up leadership of the army and holds new presidential elections. The Islamic conservatives believe they can get one of their own elected president, and eventually establish an Islamic republic in Pakistan. Musharraf is determined to resist such pressure. The majority of Pakistanis don't want religious government, they want clean government.

The Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan, a largely tribal Pushtun area, is trying to establish Sharia (Islamic) law. The federal government opposes this. 

India and Pakistan are at least talking again, moving through a long list of disputes over water, Kashmir, border controls and so on.