The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Pakistan

Political life in Pakistan has recently been marked by a number of deep domestic crises. In November 2007 President Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency of at least questionable constitutional validity which resulted in the dismissal of many judges, including the Chief Justice at the Supreme Court, Iftikhar Chaudry. A month later former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated at an election rally held by her Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). The PPP subsequently scored a clear victory in the country's parliamentary elections and set up a heterogeneous coalition government together with the PML-N led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The elections injected fresh momentum into the democratisation process and this has enhanced the scope for parliamentary debate. Major themes include relations between civilian and military life and the role of the provinces. The FES has been organising seminars, for example on various models of federalism. Through the "Workers and Peasant Councillors Support Network" the FES offers training to people elected to hold local office, thereby helping to strengthen local government. Its work to promote civil society includes fostering political commitment among young people through Pakistan's "Youth Parliament" and the nationwide "Young Professionals Network".

On an international plane, bilateral relations with neighbouring Afghanistan have gained in importance now that the mountainous border country has become a strategic base for withdrawing Taliban fighters. The FES is therefore taking part with various dialogues in the G8 Initiative setup by the German Foreign Office to improve bilateral relations between the two countries.