The hands that will rock Pakistan's cradle

Arguably, the new Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif's claim to fame is his excessive, frenetic use of his hands. In many cultures - such as in 1930s Europe - hand gestures were considered an integral part of a strong leader connected to her people. While popular connection with Pakistan's people is not something Sharif can vouch for - at least not before election - his vigorous hand movements at rallies and during speeches that have notably disrupted and disengaged microphones are seen as symbols of this leaderly trait.

Non-verbal communication is a lively part of any politician's arsenal. As PM, Manmohan Singh may have wanted to make a virtue out of the vice of the perceived weakness of level-headed UTT - under-the-top - behaviour. But in OTT South Asia, like hand-wringing, hand-flailing is considered a sure sign of passion, which is seen as a likely sign of able leadership. Did Imran Khan lack in this department? That would be ironic considering that if swing and reverse swing needs one talent, it is vigorous, dexterous arm action. Unfortunately, neither Khan nor Sharif's hand movements may ultimately matter for Pakistan's level-handed future, since the strings continue to be pulled by hands in Rawalpindi. But watch out for Sharif's handiwork. If nothing else, it will showcase mudras that will entertain.