A major two-year program on Strengthening Federalism in Pakistan has been launched with roundtable discussions in all the four provinces. The four events were held in December 2009. The program, organized by the Center for Civic Education Pakistan in collaboration with the Ottawa-based Forum of Federations, is funded by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The purpose of the roundtables was two-fold: to build relations with federal stakeholders in Pakistan and to launch what will become a two-year dialogue on the challenges and priorities in order for federalism to be made to work more effectively in Pakistan.
There were 107 participants in the four roundtables, including 38 politicians, 23 academics, 22 members of civil society organizations, 18 journalists and 4 civil servants.
In the roundtables, the participants discussed the program's design and agreed that it must provide them with global expertise on federalism, using examples and comparisons from many federal countries as well as an insight into other federal models.
The participants expressed the desire to become involved in policy advisory groups and they agreed to support the creation and development of a Center for Federal Studies in Pakistan.
“Strengthening Federalism in Pakistan”, Pukhtoonkhwa (NWFP) Round Table, 31 st Dec 09, Islamabad
Group Photo of Participants of “Strengthening Federalism in Pakistan”, Sindh Round Table, 17 th Dec 09, Karachi
I. A. Rehman Chair Person, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan giving his point of view , at the Punjab Round Table on “Strengthening Federalism in Pakistan” 19 th Dec 2009, Lahore.
Baluchistan Round Table on “Strengthening Federalism in Pakistan”, 15 th Dec 2009, Quetta.
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