Name? Imran Khan
Westphalian identity? Pakistani
Age? 68
Why is he in the news? Prime Minister Khan’s military commanders released a joint statement with their Indian counterparts reaffirming both sides’ commitment to a cease-fire along their truce along the ‘Line of Control.’
Why do we care? Because Prime Minister Khan played his cards particularly well. As an ally of China, he waited until Chinese troops backed away from their shared border with India before confirming Pakistan would observe the Line of Control. Furthermore, he also hopes to reset relations with the Biden administration after a tough four years of Trump.
Why should you care? About 5000 incidents were recorded between the two countries last year, making 2020 a pretty violent one along the border. To come back from the brink of major conflict and commit to observe a 2003 ceasefire agreement is a big win for diplomacy and development in the region so you should care 7/10.
Who else cares? Narendra Modi. The increasing incidents on the Pakistani border were threatening to close Prime Minister Modi in a two-front conflict as border skirmishes had also erupted along India’s border with China this past year. With this reaffirming of the ceasefire agreement, Modi can worry a bit less about the Line of Control and a bit more about the ‘Line of Actual Control.’
Any further comments? As we mentioned before, PM Khan played his cards well in this scenario as the joint statement comes just days after his visit to Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, Khan emphasized the importance of trade in resolving ongoing conflicts and poverty. He urged the Sri Lankan business community to participate in the $60bn-China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (effectively going around India), and offered a $50bn credit line to the small island nation for defence purchases. In sum, Khan is projecting Pakistan as the reliable, stabilizing power in South Asia for his own benefit as well as his allies.
