The South Asia Politics, News, and Analysis Thread

I'd wait and see who the ministers appoint to the top positions within the ministries, since they tend to run the day to day stuff.

I have to say, I've become mildly optimistic about Modi. Not that I like him any more than before, but perhaps he won't screw this up....

That's true in any country that uses the Westminster system^note  Unless they come from the Upper House, I guess. But they may be elected too, depending on location., including Britain.

Modi has a clear opposition, especially if Congress straightens out its issues, so if he screws up he at least loses his majority if not his job. I think the talk of him becoming a Putin style autocrat are hyperbole, India's democratic institutions are far stronger than Russia's.

Oh he won't become an autocrat. At least not for long. It's the damage he might do while around everyone fears.

However, so far he's making the right moves.

One can do a lot of harm with popular support.

Yeah. But so far it's okay.

Exiled Pakistani political leader Altaf Hussain has been arrested in London on suspicion of money laundering, it emerged Tuesday, prompting fears of unrest in his party's stronghold of Hyderabad.

Well, this'll be fun.

Holeeee shit....

I heard rumors that London Police were closing in on him (he himself was telling the MQM he might return from exile for that reason), but I thought it was just talk....

Karachi is going to go apeshit. Place is a real life Gotham and THAT guy is the real life Carmine Falcone...

After months of infighting within the Pakistan Taliban, the Mehsud faction of the deadly militant group has announced it's parting ways with the central leadership of the group.

Russia has lifted an embargo on weapons deliveries to Pakistan and is negotiating the sale of a number of Mi-35 attack helicopters to Islamabad.

Gopinath Munde, India's newly-appointed Rural Development Minister, has died in a car crash in Delhi.

So the Jang Group, the parent company of Geo News and employer of Hamid Mir, is suing the ISI for defamation...

That takes balls.

Also, Karachi still nervous and not back to normal until more info is had about Altaf.

Well, it's a nice test for the state of the rule of law in Pakistan right now.

A test they seem to have failed. Geo News has been ordered off the air because of the defamation suit.

Only for fifteen days, but still...

edited 6th Jun '14 12:20:40 PM by FFShinra

BJP leader shot in Noida, UP; riots ensue

Two BJP leaders dead of unnatural causes within almost two weeks; the conspiracy theories have already begun.

Though the first was obviously, to any logical individual (of which rioters aren't...), a textbook crash on a highway known to be dangerous.

No matter, I have some more news:

Karachi Airport is under attack by terrorists. Trending on Twitter even.

So is this Taliban-related, or associated with the Altaf Hussain affair?

Taliban, it seems.

'Area cleared' does make it sound rather needlessly creepy.

Par for the course for the Pakistan Army...

Another BJP leader shot to death, this time in Muzaffarnagar, UP

Okay, this is getting very scary.

edited 10th Jun '14 3:37:51 AM by arcanephoenix

First was a road accident, BTW.

Surely there is other news in India other than BJP people dying, unless there is some sort of pattern to the deaths. MO, motive, connection between the deceased....

My apologies, of course there is.

Speech by the President outlining the new government's agenda

Thoughts?

Nice list. Let's see what they go with first.