Pakistan

Formed after gaining independence in 1947 from the British empire, Pakistan continues to be plagued by internal and external instability. It has been hard for Pakistan to achieve strong economic growth over the years, but it still provides opportunities for private sector investors. Security remains a primary concern for Pakistan, as the decades-long conflict in Afghanistan and tensions with its eastern neighbor India persist.

Issue Brief Apr 1, 2025

Rescuing Pakistan’s economy

By Aasim M. Husain

For decades, Pakistan has struggled with a declining standard of living, skyrocketing public debt, and economic policies that have failed to address the root causes of its stagnation.

Economy & Business Middle East

Issue Brief Nov 14, 2024

Mapping South Asia’s digital landscape

By Mark Linscott, Gopal Nadadur

Data protection regulations are becoming critical for South Asia, where some countries are increasingly driven by digital economies.

Bangladesh Digital Policy

Memo to… May 16, 2024

Memo to the UN secretary-general: Establish a UN conflict prevention mechanism for the Afghanistan region

By Laurie Nathan and Nilofar Sakhi

The risk of conflict between Afghanistan and its neighbors has been rising since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, and is now at a critical point. The UN has tools that have lowered the risk of major conflict in other tense neighborhoods. It’s time to deploy them for Afghanistan.

Afghanistan Central Asia

Events

Public Event Fri, July 25, 2025 • 10:30 am ET

Pakistan’s foreign minister on tensions with India and the future of US ties

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—Pakistani Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar joins the Atlantic Council for a timely conversation on India-Pakistan tensions, regional stability, and the future of US-Pakistan relations.

Defense Policy Economy & Business Indo-Pacific Pakistan

The South Asia Center is the hub for the Atlantic Council’s analysis of the political, social, geographical, and cultural diversity of the region. At the intersection of South Asia and its geopolitics, SAC cultivates dialogue to shape policy and forge ties between the region and the global community.

By Atlantic Council

Coronavirus Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Mar 31, 2020

South Asia’s economic outlook in the era of COVID-19

By South Asia Center

Experts from the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center analyze the current efforts of these governments and the potential economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic on South Asia:

Bangladesh Coronavirus

New Atlanticist

Mar 30, 2020

Coronavirus hits Pakistan’s already-strained economy, and its most vulnerable

By Uzair Younus

During every major economic crisis in Pakistan—and there have been several of them—the wheels of the informal economy have chugged along. Today, the informal sector stands to lose the most, particularly the tens of millions of workers who rely on this cash-based sector to provide them with the bare-minimum income required to meet their daily needs.

Coronavirus Inclusive Growth

In the News

Mar 27, 2020

Younus in his podcast “Pakistonomy,” episode 11: Economy and Coronavirus

By Atlantic Council

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Pakistan

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Pakistan

Rescuing Pakistan’s economy

Mapping South Asia’s digital landscape

Memo to the UN secretary-general: Establish a UN conflict prevention mechanism for the Afghanistan region

Events

Pakistan’s foreign minister on tensions with India and the future of US ties

Content

Lakhani in i2i’s brief: COVID-19 & its impact on Pakistani startups

Younus in his podcast “Pakistonomy,” episode 14: Dr. Miftah Ismail

Lakhani in the Karavan Podcast: Kalsoom Lakhani of i2i Ventures

Lakhani’s company i2i mentioned in Pioneer’s Post on supporting start-ups to scale up in Pakistan

Younus in his podcast “Pakistonomy,” episode 13: What Caused the Sugar and Wheat Crises?

Book review of Nawaz’s “The Battle for Pakistan” in The Tribune: Insightful reading of Pakistan-US relations

Younus in his podcast “Pakistonomy,” episode 12: Real Estate in Pakistan

South Asia’s economic outlook in the era of COVID-19

Coronavirus hits Pakistan’s already-strained economy, and its most vulnerable

Younus in his podcast “Pakistonomy,” episode 11: Economy and Coronavirus

Experts

Manal Fatima

Nik Foster

Erum Haider

Hameed Hakimi

Michael Kugelman

Paul D. Miller

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