Pakistan and Its Neighbors

World Economic Forum

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Bio

Ali Babacan

Ali Babacan is a Turkish politician. On August 29, 2007, he was named Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey in the new cabinet of re-elected Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Babacan succeeded Abdullah G�l, who became President. He was previously Minister of Economy in the 58th cabinet from the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which came to power in November 2002.

Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani

Syed Makhdoom Yousaf Raza Gilani is the 26th and current Prime Minister of Pakistan. He was previously Speaker of the National Assembly (1993-1997) and a Federal Minister (1985-1986, 1989-1990). Gilani is Vice-Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). He was nominated as Prime Minister by the PPP, with the support of its coalition partners, Pakistan Muslim League (N), Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement, on 22 March 2008.[2] He took the oath of office from President Pervez Musharraf on 25 March 2008.[3] Gilani is the first elected Prime Minister of Pakistan from the Saraiki-speaking belt. Gilani was born in Karachi. He belongs to an influential political family from Multan. His father was a descendant of Syed Musa Pak, a spiritual figure of the Qadiri Sufism order which traces its origins to Abdul-Qadir Gilani of the Gilan province of Iran. Gilani is married and has four sons, one daughter, and one grandson.[5] His eldest son, Syed Makhdoom Abdul Qadir Gilani, started his own political career from Multan, and in 2008 he married the granddaughter of Pir Pagara, an influential political figure of Sindh. His three other sons -- Ali Qasim, Ali Musa and Ali Haider -- are currently studying abroad. His daughter is named Fiza.

Richard N. Haass

Richard Haass is President of the Council on Foreign Relations. Until June 2003, Haass was director of policy planning for the U.S. Department of State, where he was a principal adviser to Secretary of State Colin Powell on a broad range of foreign policy concerns.