South Asia: The Heart of Political Unrest

South Asia in the last three years has experienced seismic political changes and crises, especially in the adjoining nations of India, such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. These countries have witnessed regime changes and have redefined the political landscape, underscoring the volatility and complexity of governance in the region. The political unrest in South Asia could be traced back from the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 to Imran Khan’s ouster as Prime Minister and the crisis of Sri Lanka to the ongoing protest in Bangladesh. As South Asia continues to navigate these upheavals, the region’s political landscape remain fluid and have broader regional implications, particularly for trade, security and diplomatic relations.

Afghanistan

Source – Al Jazeera

The Taliban’s resurgence in Afghanistan marked a turning point in South Asian politics. Following the withdrawal of the US army in 2021, the Taliban’s swift action capturing Kabul on 15 August marked the beginning of political upheaval in Afghanistan. This sudden takeover dissolved the US-backed Afghan government, which had been there since the US invasion in 2001. This annexation of Kabul by the Taliban was met with ease, without any resistance from the government, and President Ashraf Ghani fled the country with a desperate bid to avoid capture by the militant group taking control over the country.

The ramifications of this upheaval have been severe. Afghanistan now faces the worst humanitarian crisis, with 28 million people in need of urgent aid and 17 million suffering from acute hunger. Annexation of Afghanistan has extreme repercussions on the common citizens, suffering repression and human rights violation. They enforced draconian restrictions on the rights of women and girls, curtailing their movement. Women are restricted from working in the public sector; they cannot go out in public without a male chaperone. In addition to the ban on girl’s enrollment in education beyond primary school, they also imposed restrictions on women participating in sports.

Internationally, the Taliban government has struggled for recognition, with many nations imposing sanctions. Amid this crisis, the trade between India and Afghanistan remains steady, with India not officially recognizing the Taliban regime

Pakistan

Source – The New Indian Express

Pakistan has faced severe political turbulence, beginning with the removal of Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan, in April 2022. Khan, who came to power in 2018, was removed through a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly. This nonconfidence move could be seen as a combination of political manipulation by the military and the opposition.

The military played a very significant role in the expulsion of Khan. Initially supported by the military, Khan’s tenure unraveled with disagreements as he tried to exert civilian authority over the military decisions. A non-confidence motion was launched against him, followed by allegations of corruption. Movements after his expulsion, his supporters came on the streets and heightened the existing tensions.

The aftermath of Khan’s ouster has plunged Pakistan into deeper instability. Pakistan’s economy suffers with soaring inflation, energy shortages, and mounting debt.

Sri Lanka

Source- Business Standard

In July 2022, Sri Lanka faced a massive protest by its citizens against its government, demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksha. The protest escalated from various factors, including inflation, the Covid-19 pandemic, rising global fuel prices, and increasing debt to China. The economic crisis led to the shortage of essential goods such as food, fuels, and medicine. To curb the souring inflation and deteriorating economic crisis, the government ordered the power cuts and fueled rationing, which further enraged the population.

The massive protest resulted in the flight of the president from the country. Ranil Wickremesinghe led the new government and faced the daunting challenge of recovery of the economy and sought help from the international financial institution.

Bangladesh

Source- The Print

On August 5, 2024, Bangladesh experienced a wide protest by the students, and the demonstration escalated when PM Sheik Hasina fled, leaving the country in turmoil. It all started as a peaceful protest by the students over the employment quota, but soon it turned into a sweeping protest against Hasina’s government allegations, such as inflation and economic challenges similar to neighboring countries.

As the protesters advanced towards her residence, on the day of her resignation, she fled the country. Widespread celebration and violence followed her resignation, while the military announced the formation of an interim government led by economist Muhammad Yunus.