November 18; A week-long study visit of Pakistani MPs and members of PILDAT Dialogue Group on Civil-Military Relations concluded on November 15, 2013.

The Study Visit, which was conceived, designed and facilitated by PILDAT, was focussed at learning and interactions in Turkey on democratic consolidation and democratic civil-military relations in Turkey.

The 16-member multi-party, multi-discipline Pakistan delegation was chaired by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production, (Islamabad- PML) and included Syed Naveed Qamar, MNA, Former Federal Minister of Defence, (NA-222 Hyderabad-V, Sindh, PPPP); Senator Farhatullah Babar, Former Spokesman President of Pakistan, (Khyber Pakhtukhwa-PPPP); Senator Mir Hasil Bizenjo, President National Party, (Balochistan, NP); Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, MNA; Former Federal Minister (NA-173, D.G. Khan-III, Punjab, PML-N); Ms. Shaista Pervaiz Malik, MNA, (NA-278, Punjab, PML-N); Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, MNA, (NA-342, Non-Muslim-X, Sindh, PML-N); Mr. Faisal Karim Kundi, Former Member of National Assembly; former Deputy Speaker, National Assembly of Pakistan; Mr. Cyril Almeida, Senior Journalist; Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Humayun Bangash, Former Ambassador of Pakistan to Turkey; Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Moinuddin Haider, Former Governor Sindh; Former Federal Minister for Interior; Mr. Shahid Malik, Former High Commissioner of Pakistan to India; Mr. Tasneem Noorani, Former Federal Secretary Interior; Mr. Ghazi Salahuddin, Senior Journalist/ Analyst; Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, President PILDAT and Ms. Aasiya Riaz, Joint Director PILDAT.

As part of its interactions in Turkey, the Pakistan delegation called on H.E. Mr. Abdullah Gul, President of the Republic of Turkey, H.E. Mr. Cemil Cicek, Speaker, Grand National Assembly of Turkey, as well as H.E. Mr. Kemal Yardimci, Deputy Defence Minister of Turkey, while detailed meetings were held with the Chairpersons of the Plan and Budget and Defence Committees of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

In order to understand how the Turkish National Security Council works, especially after the changes incorporated by the ruling AKP on civilian supremacy on the military, the Pakistan delegation met with and was briefed by H.E. Mr. Muammer Turker, Secretary General of the National Security Council, and his team, at the offices of the Turkish NSC.

Pakistan delegation also engaged in a candid conversation on civil-military relations in Turkey and prospects of Pak-Turkish cooperation with leading Turkish think tanks including the Turkish Asian Centre for Strategic Studies (TASAM), The Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV) and the International Strategic Research Organisation (USAK).

The Pakistan delegation also visited the Headquarters of the ruling AKP, as well as that of the principal opposition party, the Republican People�s Party (CHP) where the delegation was briefed respectively by the Deputy Chairman of the AKP, H.E. Dr. Muzaffar �akar and the Chairman CHP H.E. Mr. Kemal Kili�daroglu. The delegation also interacted with the Chair and members of the Saadet (Felicity) Party.

A comprehensive briefing on Turkish journey towards democratic civil-military relations was given to the Pakistan delegation by Prof. Dr. Ersel Aydinli, Associate Professor of International Relations at the Bilkent University, Ankara.

The Pakistan delegation was hosted at a Luncheon reception by H.E. Mr. Burhan Kayaturk, MP and Chairman of the Turkish-Pakistan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group of the National Assembly of Turkey alongside other members of the Friendship Group.

The Study Visit received very gracious facilitation by Pakistan�s Ambassador to Turkey, H.E. Mr. Muhammad Haroon Shaukat and his team as well as Turkey�s Ambassador to Pakistan, H.E. Mr. Babur Girgin and his team.

A detailed report based on learning from the Study Visit, reflecting the views of the Pakistan delegation members, will shortly be made available by PILDAT.