On 3 December 2008 Pak-German Council for Culture and Democracy organized a Seminar on the topic "Where stands Pakistan after the elections?" in cooperation with Heinrich Böll Foundation in Berlin. The Seminar is aimed to shed more light on the current state of affairs, the still rising Taliban threat and the relationship between politics and judiciary and the role of political parties and the society. Is Pakistan the most dangerous country in the world? What about political parties, inner democracy and the rule of law? Is Pakistan a failing state? And how could the Lawyers Movement be explained? These were some questions which have been raised and debated within the panel of our Seminar.

The participants of the panel discussion were:

• Tehmina Daultana, Member of Pakistani Parliament, Pakistan Muslim League-N
• Ute Koczy, Member of the German Parliament, Member of the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development
• Susanne Koelbl, Author and Foreign Correspondent for DER SPIEGEL
• Jürgen Klimke, Member of the German Parliament, Member of the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development
• Moderation: Shahid Riaz, President of Pak-German Council for Culture and Democracy

Tehmina Daultana called on the audience to regard Pakistan also as a victim of terror with ordinary people who want to live without war in stable conditions. Until now Pakistan has suffered under the military pressure of the United States. The democracy reached so far is not strengthened yet and still needs the world's support.

Both Members of the German Parliament just recently returned from a delegation trip to Pakistan and shared their personal impressions with the audience. In particular both were shocked by the situation at a refugee camp near the Afghan border.

Susanne Koelbl has been covering Afghanistan and Pakistan since the fall of the Taliban and travelled to places where almost nobody would dare to go. She delivered a statement in which she precisely analysed the problems Pakistan is facing nowadays. But is Pakistan really the most dangerous country in the world? Since the Soviet–Afghan War Pakistan's society became radicalized in terms of religiosity and today's problems began, for example the presence of Pakistan's military in the country's business and commercial enterprises. The world keeps paying attention to an unstable Pakistan possessing nuclear weapons and being a frontline state in the fight against terrorism. Despite Pakistan's efforts Susanne Koelbl is not convinced that Pakistan after the elections is stabilized enough to handle all of the current problems.

Shahid Riaz welcomed nearly 200 guests in the hall including representatives of the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation, Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation, Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation, Rosa-Luxembourg-Foundation and the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. Among the guests of the seminar were also numerous representatives of the embassies of Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar and Pakistan. Shahid Riaz has great trust in Pakistan's young generation which grew up with satellite television, mobile phones and Internet to transform Pakistan into a modern secular and prosperous state with a democracy partially based on the western model. Finally he promised the audience that in about 10 years Pakistan will have a stable democracy.

Shortly before the end of the seminar Shahid Riaz and members of Pak-German Council for Culture and Democracy ceremoniously presented traditional Pakistani scarves - so called Sindhi Ajraks - to the podium speakers as a symbol of Pakistani culture and as a sign of Pak-German Council for Culture and Democracy.

At the end of the program a traditional and delicious Pakistani Buffet was served, German and Pakistani people could take this chance to get to know each other and exchange opinions.

For further impressions of the seminar just visit our picture gallery.