The Washington Post quotes South Asia Center Nonresident Fellow Ahmed Humayun on the crisis in Pakistan including mass protests calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif:
His efforts so far to stabilize an economy that was on the brink of default have been positive, writes Ahmed Humayun, a South Asia fellow at the Atlantic Council, but “have yet to significantly impact the daily lives of most Pakistanis.” Electricity shortages remain a persistent fact of life, with many Pakistanis disappointed by the lack of progress made by Sharif, a politician celebrated for his business acumen.
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Instead, many fear the military coming to the fore in the coming days, particularly if Sharif takes a hard-line approach to the growing dissent. Humayun, of the Atlantic Council, suggests one possible scenario where the top brass could reassert itself:
This will especially be the case if Sharif overreacts and law enforcement authorities exhibit excessive force against demonstrators, creating political fodder for Sharif’s opponents. In such an instance, the army may put pressure on Sharif to hold elections early — either later in 2014 or early in 2015. However, if Sharif does not oblige, then direct military intervention followed by the installation of a caretaker government is not out of the question.