Contemporary South Asia Test - 1

The following factors are responsible for Pakistan’s failure in building a stable democracy:

a. The lack of genuine international support for democratic rule in Pakistan has encouraged to military to continue its dominance. 

b. The US and other countries have also supported military rule due to the fulfillment of their own interests. Global Islamic terrorism and their apprehension that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal might fall into the hands of these terrorist groups the military regime in Pakistan was seen as the protector of Western interests in West Asia and South Asia. 

c. Pakistan’s conflict with India has made pro-military groups more powerful which have often said that political parties and democracy in Pakistan are flawed and that Pakistan’s security would be harmed by selfish-minded parties and chaotic democracy hence army stay in power is justified. 

d. The social dominance of military clergy and land-owning aristocracy has led to frequent overthrow of elected government and the establishment of military governments.

In 2001, General Musharraf got himself elected as the President. 

South Asia includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

The principal players in the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka were Sinhala and Sri Lankan Tamils. After its independence politics in Sri Lanka was dominated by the interests of the Sinhala community which was hostile to Tamils who migrated from India to settle there.

Till 2006, Nepal was a constitutional monarchy with the danger of the king taking over executive powers. In 2006, a successful uprising led to restoration of democracy and reduced the king to a nominal position, from the experience of Bangladesh and Nepal, we can say that democracy is becoming an accepted norm in the entire region of South Asia.

The agreement came into force in 2006, succeeding the 1993 SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement. SAFTA signatory countries are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. SAFTA recognizes the need for special and differential treatment for LDCs in its preamble.

The South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) is an agreement that was signed on January 6, 2004, at the 12th SAARC summit in Islamabad, Pakistan.

The Maldives, the other island nation, was a Sultanate till 1968 when it was transformed into a republic with a presidential form of government.

After its independence, politics in Sri Lanka (it was then known as Ceylon) was dominated by forces that represented the interest of the majority Sinhala community. 

Sharing of Transboundary River Waters: India and Bangladesh share 54 common rivers, but only two treaties have been signed so far of Ganga Waters Treaty and The Kushiyara River Treaty. The other major rivers, such as the Teesta and Feni are still under negotiation.