Past Event

The Future of US-Pakistan Relations

Since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the US-Pakistan relationship has been stuck in a prolonged period of uncertainty. It also faces geopolitical constraints, amid intensifying US competition with China, Pakistan’s close ally. More recently, the bilateral relationship has had to grapple with Pakistan’s current “polycrisis” of economic, political, and security challenges. However, despite all this, recent months have produced a series of high-level diplomatic engagements and dialogues focused on trade, energy, education, and defense, among other issues.

This half-day conference examined how the US-Pakistan relationship can and should be realistically crafted against the backdrop of multiple challenging developments. Speakers included US and Pakistani officials, scholars, analysts, investors, business leaders, and prominent Pakistan diaspora members. They offered perspectives on how best to steer the relationship, with specific focus on security and counterterrorism, trade and investment, tech and innovation, great power competition, and climate change and humanitarian assistance, among other issues.

This conference was organized by the Wilson Center’s South Asia Institute in partnership with International Academy of Letters USA, a nonprofit organization that aims to promote cooperation through dialogue, the arts, and diplomacy.

You can click on the word agenda above to see a detailed schedule for the event.

Keynote Speakers

A photo of Elizabeth Horst
Elizabeth Horst
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Pakistan, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, U.S. State Department
A photo of Masood Khan
Masood Khan
Pakistani Ambassador to the United States

Panelists

A photo of Hassan Abbas
Hassan Abbas
Distinguished Professor, National Defense University
A photo of Esperanza Gomez Jelalian
Esperanza Gomez Jelalian
President, U.S.-Pakistan Business Council, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
A photo of Kalsoom Lakhani
Kalsoom Lakhani
Co-founder and General Partner, i2i Ventures
A photo of Jumaina Siddiqui
Jumaina Siddiqui
Program Director, Global Security and International Affairs, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
A photo of Ambereen Mirza
Ambereen Mirza
President, OPEN Global
A photo of Rick Khan
Rick Khan
Former Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State
A photo of Nasruddin Rupani
Nasruddin Rupani
Chairman, Rupani Foundation
A photo of Asaf Qadeer
Asaf Qadeer
Director, International Academy of Letters USA

Hosted By

Indo-Pacific Program

The Indo-Pacific Program promotes policy debate and intellectual discussions on US interests in the Asia-Pacific as well as political, economic, security, and social issues relating to the world’s most populous and economically dynamic region.    Read more

Indo-Pacific Program