Success for Pakistan's first female foreign minister?

Ms Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan’s first female foreign minister, was sworn in last week but what will this mean for the country?

Some say she is weak and inexperienced but others think that she is right for Pakistan, and able to ‘project a softer image’ of Pakistan abroad.

This was proved by the recent Delhi talks where she and the Indian foreign minister agreed that their two countries often turbulent relationship was now ‘on the right track’.

There were no breakthroughs on the Kashmir question but both sides agreed to continue to ‘narrow their differences’. Cross border trade is to increase and travel is to be made easier. Ms Khar announced a ‘new era in bilateral cooperation’.

So far, it seems that Ms Khar has done well in her attempts to handle a very difficult relationship.

Despite this she has still received some criticism from opposition leaders, firstly for her meeting with separatists and secondly from those who feel she lacks the charisma and resolve to sort out Pakistan’s foreign policy.

Let us hope she is able to prove her critics wrong.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14222438
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