How it went wrong for Nawaz Sharif

Pakistan's problems are mounting and Nawaz Sharif's government appears paralysed, just over three months after he swept to election victory on a tide of optimism, reports guest columnist Ahmed Rashid. Where did it go wrong?

When Mr Sharif became prime minister, public expectations were sky high that he would quickly get to grips with Pakistan's most pressing problems - rampant terrorism, multiple insurgencies, an economy in free fall, the lack of electricity and a debilitating foreign policy.

Instead, Mr Sharif has stumbled badly, incurring widespread public anger as terrorism intensifies, the economy worsens and his government appears unable even to fill dozens of critically needed appointments such as senior bureaucratic positions, public corporation chiefs or ambassadors for key posts such as Washington and London.

Moreover, the hope that dialogue with the army would create a civil-military partnership, putting the army and an elected government on the same page for the first time in Pakistan's history, has so far yielded few results.

Most of Pakistan's problems  are of its own making beginning with its complicity in helping the Taliban come to life by supplying them with weapons, tactical and financial support through its Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) which at one point was threatened with being placed on the terrorist watch list for its support of the Taliban 

In 2005 and 2008 Pakistan's military government led by General Pervez Musharraf negotiated ceasefires with the Pakistani Taliban only to see them broken and fighting continuing including their taking control of the Swat valley  for several months in 2008 only to be driven back by military offensive. 

Then there insurgencies in several provinces such Balochistan which has been ongoing for decades due to their belief that the government in Islamabad has done nothing to address grievances or improve their economic well being. 

Then there is the sectarian violence between the Sunni and Shia populations which has become more violent due to government inaction.