The ouster of Musharraf throws up many questions for India

General Parvex Mushraff, who later came to be known as President Musharraf was a colossal figure in South Asia politics and the world at large post 9:11, especially, after his support for the 'Global War on Terror'.

On the night after his ouster and possible Amnesty from Saudi Arabia, India couldn't help itself, no matter how much it would like to disown this fact, has to look at the possible ramifications of his, for a lack of a better word, eviction from the seat of power.

Here I list some of the more obvious and immediate impacts, and questions this throws up:

No matter what his critics may say, Musharraf was a liberal, comparatively modern a person with the gusto to take risk for the greater good. India will have to hope that the next in command will have some of those qualities when they sit across the table for dialogue. Because, some hard decision has to be made if there is to be any progress
On the issues that concern these two countries.

Mushraff was prepared to face down the competition from the fanatical elements inside Pakistan. Will a democratic government have the same willingness to neglect, what is a sizeable number of the voting public who sympathize with these rogue elements, as the establishments like to call them?

With Mushraff gone, will the army step up its uninvited efforts to impose itself on the democratic institutions.

Will the democratic entities have the desire, willingness and the capability to use an 'Iron Fist' to suppress possibility of episodes like 'Las Masjid', if it were to be repeated?

Now what happens to the 'War on Terror'? Will the democratic parties go out of its way to help the US did and risk it's popularity among the people? And will the US continue to support Pakistan by way of grants, loans, and military supply.

Pakistan is soon to witness a power struggle from the vacuum that’s been created by the departure of Mushraff. It could all very soon resemble a cycle of events that has played itself out in Pakistan more often than any Pakistani will want to remember.

The new comers to power will have to show some quick results as the patience of the people, especially in the sub-continent runs thin. If that is the case, and the government doesn’t perform to the expectations of the public, the masses could very well start regretting the ouster of Mushraff.

The Pakistan leadership will have to come out clean on where it stands with respect to Kashmir, the War on Terror [Inside as well as outside Pakistan], economy, and relationship with Afghanistan, response to religious fundamentalism and extremism, and most importantly, relations with India.

Unstable Pakistan is the worst news that India could hope for. So, let's hope that things will sort itself out in the near future and both the government of this great nations could concentrate on what is most important, a better life and greater future for it's people.