IBNLive Chat: Pak govt might not last full term

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• Chat Now: With Rezaul H Laskar on Pakistan and its future
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Keywords: Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf

Manohar: Pakistan government is dropping all charges against Zardari saying there’s not much evidence. I am not sure how much is this correct. Don’t you feel that it’s misuse of power?

Rezaul H Laskar: Mr Zardari and his late wife were able to return to Pakistan mainly due to the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), a controversial law passed by Musharraf to grant amnesty to PPP leaders in corruption cases. This was part of the secret understanding between Benazir Bhutto and Musharraf. There are some legal experts who believe the deposed judges, once they are reinstated, will reopen cases challenging the NRO. That could add yet another twist to the dropping of charges against Mr Zardari.

Gurjeet S.Sekhon: Will the new government liberalize trade through Wagah Border and what volumes one can expect?

Rezaul H Laskar: Trade has slowly become a key issue in the relations between India and Pakistan. Pakistani businessmen are eyeing the huge Indian market for a range of their products, including cement. But traders from both sides agree there is a need to improve infrastructure on both sides. Besides, there appears to be a very strong lobby within Pakistan which is opposed to imports from India and raises the "India bogey" to prevent imports.

On the other hand, you have the strange phenomenon of Indian goods being imported from third countries, like the recent case of Indian-made CNG buses that were imported into Pakistan from the Gulf.

Pradyumna Kejriwal: Do you believe the new government in power will take on the challenge of tackling extremism within Pakistan? If so, do you expect them to accept American support against terrorism?

Rezaul H Laskar: Well, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, who is a key player, in the new government, has already made it clear that he will not toe the US line in the war on terror. Therefore, the new government will have to walk a very delicate line while considering the war on terror and extremism. On the one hand the new administration has to curb the trend of suicide attacks and bombings and on the other hand it has to consider demands from some key allies, like the Awami National Party and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, for talks with the militants, including the Pakistani Taliban.

Sarfraz Ahmed: Do you think Asif Zardari would pave a path for better Indo-Pak ties or will he follow the lines of Kashmir?

Rezaul H Laskar: Mr Zardari's initial comments on Kashmir – about setting the issue aside for a future generation – were a bold departure from the norm but they created a storm among some sections of Kashmiri leaders and the hardliners here in Pakistan. Since then, he has not spoken on the issue. I believe he wants to try a different tack on Kashmir but it remains to be seen if he can sway partners in the new government like the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam.

Anupam Srivastava: Congratulations for doing a great job there. My question is: How is the power of the military being diluted in Pakistan since it has the potential of again destabilising democracy when another general decides.