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IMGXYZ1291IMGZYXIn the first days of August 2009, central Pakistan was engulfed by riots that left more than 100 houses burned and looted, seven dead and more than a dozen wounded. On the weekend of August 15th, suicide bombings by the Taliban in Peshawar killed seven and wounded fifteen. Pakistan’s continuing instability is not a local matter; it has grave regional and international implications.
Carnegie Europe organized a roundtable that included ten leading Pakistani experts and a select group of European policy makers, experts, and media to discuss the current problems facing Pakistan and the role Europe could play in helping Pakistan achieve greater stability.
Participants from Pakistan included Dr. Ijaz Shafi Gilani, Chairman, Gallup; Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, Executive Director, Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency; Mr. Khalid Rahman, General Director, Institute of Policy Studies; and Lt. Gen. Muhammad Asghar, Rector, National University of Sciences and Technology.
The event was chaired by Fabrice Pothier, director of Carnegie Europe, and held under the Chatham House rule. It was organised with the kind support of NATO Public Diplomacy.
Highlights included…
• Strengthening democratic institutions is a crucial part of Pakistan’s stabilisation process. Participants emphasized the importance of greater international cooperation in capacity building for the judicial sector. They also spoke about strengthening Pakistan’s parliament through inter-parliamentary cooperation, as well as technical assistance and training of Pakistan’s law enforcement.
• Pakistan’s economic integration into the regional and global economy is crucial for its economic prosperity and for fighting extremism in the long run. Europeans could help Pakistan attain sustainable economic growth by working towards greater market access for Pakistan’s products and supporting the development of a reliable power infrastructure.
• With more than 35 million students enrolled in schools and universities, reforming Pakistan’s educational sector is crucial for its path to stabilisation. Participants pointed out that Europe could ease visa requirements for Pakistani students and assist in improving the country’s primary and secondary education system.