Question

Briefly describe the tussle between democracy and arbitrary rule in India's neighboring countries in 1990s in Pakistan and Nepal.

Answer 1

(i) In 1990s, major changes took place in India's neighbourhood. In 1990 Pakistan switched over to democracy but in 1999 General Musharraf brought back army rule in Pakistan. So, Pakistan under General Musharaff cannot be considered as a democracy because he was not the elected head of the state.
(ii) In Nepal, the king gave up many powers to become a constitutional monarch to be guided by elected leaders, but in the year 2005 the new king of Nepal dismissed the elected government and took back the political freedom which people had won in the previous decade.