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.