Svenja Schulze: Security in Pakistan denies minister access

Svenja Schulze’s (SPD) red handbag almost sparked a diplomatic crisis. The Federal Development Minister is currently travelling through Pakistan to find out more about the production conditions in textile companies. On Thursday she visited a sports sock factory in Lahore.

The day before, the minister had a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the capital Islamabad. After all, she is the first high-ranking government representative from the West to visit the country,

Svenja Schulze turns on her heel

But at the official residence, security personnel demanded that Schulze hand over her red handbag.

What happened next was documented by ZDF journalist Andreas Kynast in a short video that he posted on the short message service X. The minister exchanged a brief conversation with the German ambassador Alfred Grannas. Then they both turned on their heels and marched back to the vehicle. The security guards then gave in. Schulze was allowed into the building after all – with her handbag.

From delegation circles, the starthat there had been lengthy discussions with the Prime Minister’s security beforehand. The German side actually wanted to take a photographer with them to the appointment, as is often the case on such trips, but this was rejected by the Pakistani side.

But Schulze felt that the handbag had crossed a line. And it is indeed a diplomatic affront to demand that a government representative hand over personal items.

The incident did not spoil the visit to the prime minister, the delegation said. Sharif, who belongs to the conservative Muslim League-Nawaz party and was already prime minister from April 2022 to August 14, 2023, received Schulze for dinner in the presence of almost the entire cabinet. The conversation, which he conducted partly in German while Schulze spoke English, was “very good,” the German side said.

Svenja Schulze is under pressure

Germany is Pakistan’s most important trading partner in the EU. According to the Foreign Office, the Islamic Republic mainly exports textiles, leather goods, sporting goods and medical instruments to Germany.

Schulze is under pressure in Germany. Not only does Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) want to leave his party, there have recently been calls for the ministry to be abolished and incorporated into the Foreign Office.

There is also massive criticism of Schulze’s major political project. The CDU describes it as a “bureaucratic monster” and is calling for it to be suspended. Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) recently also called for a voluntary commitment, thereby stabbing Schulze in the back.