India’s month-long election season kicked off in April. Pakistan formed a government under the leadership of Shehbaz Sharif, with Asif Ali Zardari elected president (a largely ceremonial role). Indian and Bhutanese prime ministers exchanged visits, and Maldives forced India to start replacing Indian military personnel stationed in the country with ‘civilian experts.’ China held its two sessions amidst concerns over the economy, while its ‘iron brother’ Pakistan reached a staff-level agreement with the IMF for the final tranche of the bailout agreement. Read this and more in this issue of South Asia Bulletin. In the long read section, read about the pollution and unemployment in the South Asian region. Read the April issue of the South Asia Bulletin from here.
