Co-Sponsored by the

SAIS South Asia Studies Program

and the

Association of Pakistani Professionals (AOPP)

Is Pakistan Ready for Elections?

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Time: 4:30-7:00pm

Kenney Auditorium, 1740 Massachusetts Ave NW

This discussion will focus on whether Pakistan in the aftermath of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto is ready for elections, whether elections will bring the country closer to democracy, whether the elections will help stabilize the country and what are US interests in these elections. The panel will address these key points within the framework of US interests in the region in a Post 9-11 world. 

Our three speakers have spent much of their careers analyzing Pakistani politics and US relations with Pakistan. They are Dr. Daniel Markey, Ambassador Robin Raphel and Dr. Hasan-Askari Rizvi.  Dr. Markey is the Senior Fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia at the Council of Foreign Relations in Washington DC.  Before that, he had served in Policy Planning at The State Department advising the Secretary of State on matters relating to South Asia.  Ambassador Raphel works with Cassidy and Associates on international affairs and trade practice.  Prior to that, she had held senior positions in the State Department, including Assistant Secretary for South Asia and ambassador to Tunisia.  Dr. Rizvi is at SAIS for a second year as a visiting professor and member of the South Asia Studies concentration.  He is the author of several authoritative books on Pakistan’s domestic and international policy and one of the most renowned experts on Pakistan.  Moderating the event will be Amina Khan, the head of the DC Chapter of the AOPP, a lawyer and political activist.

RSVP to Naseem Bhandari at southasia@jhu.edu, with “Pakistan Elections” in the subject, and with your contact details and affiliation.