Dr. Anil Sigdel, Director of Nepal Matters for America, Washington D.C
The telegraphnepal.com approached July 27, 2018, Dr. Anil Sigdel who is currently the Director of Nepal Matters for America, based in Washington D.C. for a brief talk on the much publicized Pakistan election wherein veteran Cricketer Imran Khan has emerged with flying colors.
Mr. Khan will be sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Pakistan shortly.
Mr. Sigdel, born in Nepal, obtained his doctoral degree in International Relations from the University of Vienna, Austria.
Below the results of our brief talks with Doctor Sigdel: Upadhyaya.
Q1: The opposition parties in Pakistan have denounced the election alleging that it was not a free and fair election. What say you Mr. Sigdel?
Dr. Sigdel: “The Election Day was orderly and competitive according to the preliminary assessment of the mission of the European Union observers. As for the restrictions on freedom of expression, or unequal opportunities to campaign, the EU itself does not confirm it but mentions the accusations.
One must respect the fact that Pakistani citizens have exercised their right to vote. And even Liberal Pakistan has also voted, given a mandate to someone new, in a country that is desperate for positive change.
As for the real evidence, I think it is difficult to produce it because what the opposition refers to is the conspiracy of “established powers” such as the powerful Pakistani Army, the part of the judicial power control, and fundamentalist groups among others, to influence the results of the elections in favor of Imran Khan.
Q2: Is it that Imran Khan got elected only because he, as his detractors allege, have had links with the Military establishment at time of the election? Or it is just a propaganda spread by the opposition to malign Imran Khan political credentials?
Dr. Sigdel: “It is difficult in Pakistan to make policy without being on good terms with the powerful army. But I would not say it’s a puppet in the hands of the Army, but I can believe that there has been some tactical alliance and some understanding. But for Imran Khan for 22 years, he is fighting in Pakistan politics.
The people of Pakistan have a lot of hope in him, and they are celebrating.
He is a charismatic personality and liberal Pakistan also somehow wants to give him the benefit of doubt. The results of the elections are competitive: And although Imran Khan’s PTI came out victorious, Nawaz Sheriff’s PML-N was first in the province of Punjab, the most dominant in Pakistan’s politics. At the national level, first, PTI, second PML-N, and third is Bhutto’s PPP.
PTI has been left without the simple majority of 2/3 – 137 (272), 115
The Army cannot come to the front and govern directly – due to internal and external problems, thus reaching an agreement with someone is their need as well. Nawaz Sheriff was also a selection of Army at the beginning and then he changed into an independent leader in terms of foreign policy as well. How things will go with IK and Pakistan Army it remains to be seen.
Q3: Do you consider Imran Khan as still a play boy as some of his detractors in the West take him or he is a different political personality now?
Dr. Sigdel: He is a Taliban sympathizer! … It is important that politics is going to have towards extremists in Pakistan. His PTI party has given a lot of money to Madrassas-religious colleges of Islam in his Khyber Pakhtunkhwa base region in the north.
As for the image of the Playboy, it is his past. He himself has said that in the past he has made mistakes. Now he’s been with his conservative life for some time now. If you look at his personal life, politics, and his daily activities and ideas, he is definitely a conservative figure. It’s funny because being a cricket legend, he spoke English like a Briton, it’s a bit contradictory, but he also had his traditional ideas with him. One example, the fact that his two children with their first British wife have a Muslim name says something, that is, he had not internalized Western culture at all, even though it seemed so on the outside.
To sum up, I would conclude by saying this:
# On India: Kashmir issue will gain salience.
# Pakistan preference China.
# Afghanistan- open border—much priority
# Not easy for India which preferred Sheriff
But people in India love Imran, so some window there.