A conversation with 
Ikram Sehgal 
Defense Analyst and Chairman
Pathfinder Group Pakistan 

Shuja Nawaz
Distinguished Fellow, South Asia Center 
Atlantic Council 

Moderated by 
Bharath Gopalaswamy 
Director, South Asia Center 
Atlantic Council 

At the 70th UN General Assembly session, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reiterated that Pakistanis fighting terrorism rather than manufacturing it, a point he has made in his previous two UN speeches. Army Chief Raheel Sharif launched an aggressive military operation to eradicate terrorist hideouts in the country’s Northwest region, while simultaneously working to attack violence and crime in Karachi. Meanwhile, a National Action Plan called for coordinated legal, police, and political efforts for sustainable nationwide security. In the last few months, the narrative in Pakistan has changed. General Sharif is being showered with gratitude—appearing on billboards, trending in social media, and receiving accolades in the press.  While Pakistanis may see progress, the international community remains skeptical.  What progress has Pakistan made in improving security for its citizens and how does this impact security beyond its borders? Ikram Seghal and Shuja Nawaz will provide their perspectives and analyses, including views on the broader implications for US policy.