The Centre for Strategic Perspectives (CSP), Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) organised a Public Talk at its Ambassador’s Platform titled “Celebrating 70 Years of Pakistan-Germany Diplomatic Relations,” on October 21, 2021. H.E. Mr. Bernhard Schlagheck, Ambassador of Germany to Pakistan was the guest speaker on the occasion. The talk was moderated by Dr. Neelum Nigar, Director CSP at ISSI.
In his welcome remarks, DG ISSI, Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, extended a warm welcome to the German Ambassador to the Institute of Strategic Studies and thanked him for accepting to give a public talk on an important subject, interest for which is growing in both countries. Ambassador Aizaz stated that the Ambassador’s Platform was essentially created as a venue for foreign ambassadors serving in Pakistan to reach out to the people of Pakistan. Through this platform, the Ambassador can inform the people of Pakistan, what is it that Germany means to Pakistan and Pakistan means to Germany. Ambassador Aizaz mentioned that ISSI had several ambassadors come and speak at the Institute but Germany is special. Germany is special because it’s a very important country and it is Pakistan’s biggest trading partner in Europe and also a huge investor in Pakistan. Ambassador Chaudhry praised the supreme quality of German products and stated that it exemplifies German society’s belief in perfectionism which provides considerable esteem and respect to Germany’s name in Pakistan. He went on to highlight the recent boost in the people-to-people exchanges and inducted to approximately 500 new Pakistani students in Germany’s higher education institutes along with a number of Stiftungs working in Pakistan which are highly active and doing good productive work in the country. While concluding his welcome remarks, Ambassador Aizaz termed Europe a resilient continent asked Ambassador Schlagheck to also identify in his talk Europe’s stance on US-China major power competition; the evolving geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific region; and how is it that Pakistan and Germany can work together for larger peace and stability here in this region?
