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.

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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
<img decoding="async" src="https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/scott-rodgerson-PSpf_XgOM5w-unsplash-500x350.jpg" alt="Nawaz in Dawn: For Pakistan to prosper, it must invest in its children” class=”gta-horizontal-featured–img” />

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
<img decoding="async" src="https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2022-10-02T152944Z_793066529_RC2ZSW939UGC_RTRMADP_3_AFGHANISTAN-CONFLICT-BLAST-FAMILY-500x350.jpg" alt="Nawaz in Dawn: For Pakistan to prosper, it must invest in its children” class=”gta-horizontal-featured–img” />

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.

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Content

In the News

Apr 13, 2023

Nawaz in Dawn: <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1746219/for-pakistan-to-prosper-it-must-invest-in-its-children">For Pakistan to prosper, it must invest in its children</a>

By Atlantic Council

Corruption Economy & Business

SouthAsiaSource

Apr 12, 2023

<strong>The geopolitics of the energy trilemma in South Asia</strong>

By Robert F. Ichord, Jr.

South Asian countries are being subjected to the consequences of China and Russia’s efforts to expand their influence in the region. In this complex geopolitical context, expanded US and G7 clean energy efforts are needed.

Bangladesh Climate Change & Climate Action

SouthAsiaSource

Mar 31, 2023

The unfinished efforts against terrorism and militancy in Pakistan

By Shuja Nawaz and other experts

Terrorism is reemerging in Pakistan. To understand how it should respond to this heightened threat, Distinguished Fellow Shuja Nawaz moderated a series of conversations with experts about fighting terrorism and militancy.

Extremism National Security

SouthAsiaSource

Mar 22, 2023

Experts react: Elections postponed in Pakistan’s Punjab province

By South Asia Center and other experts

On March 22, 2023, the Election Commission of Pakistan announced a decision to delay elections in Punjab, the country’s most populous province. We asked experts to react to this decision.

Elections Pakistan

SouthAsiaSource

Mar 20, 2023

<strong>Who is behind the killings of Kashmiri militants in Pakistan?</strong>

By Anonymous

Editor’s note: We have decided to retract this article because it did not go through the Atlantic Council's standard editorial process prior to publication and therefore did not meet our editorial standards. We regret the error.

Extremism India

Econographics

Mar 20, 2023

The US debt limit is a global outlier

By Mrugank Bhusari

Debt limits are not the norm in public finance. But countries that have adopted them do not let them cause economic chaos.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

SouthAsiaSource

Mar 9, 2023

<strong>With Pakistan’s economy in freefall, Chinese economic and military influence is likely to grow in the country</strong>

By Uzair Younus

This essay explores the potential impact of the ongoing crises on the China-Pakistan relationship and its implications for US-Pakistan bilateral relations, especially in the context of the growing strategic competition between the United States and China.

China Economy & Business

SouthAsiaSource

Mar 6, 2023

Amid Pakistan’s political and economic turmoil, risks to curbs on digital freedoms grow

By Uzair Younus

Growing polarization and instability in Pakistan have increased the likelihood that as elections draw near, curbs on speech, largely limited thus far to television channels, may extend to internet platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.

Civil Society Elections

SouthAsiaSource

Mar 4, 2023

<strong>Can Swift Retort still inspire swift reforms?</strong>

By Ali Hasanain

After Operation Swift Retort four years ago, I argued that if Pakistan really wants to compete with India, it must focus on rapid economic growth. Regrettably, our national leadership has had other priorities, and we have fallen further behind.

Economy & Business India

In the News

Feb 10, 2023

Aziz in Dawn: <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1736201/banistan-ignorant-leaders-absurd-regulation">Banistan: Ignorant leaders, absurd regulation</a>

By Atlantic Council

Digital Policy Internet
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Experts

Staff

Manal Fatima

Assistant Director, Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Middle East North Africa

Fellow

Nik Foster

Nonresident Fellow

Global China Hub

China Energy & Environment

Fellow

Erum Haider

Assistant Professor, Political Science and Environmental Studies, The College of Wooster

South Asia Center

Civil Society Economy & Business

Fellow

Hameed Hakimi

Nonresident Senior Fellow

South Asia Center

Migration Security & Defense

Staff

Michael Kugelman

Resident Senior Fellow, South Asia

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Afghanistan Bangladesh

Fellow

Paul D. Miller

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Pakistan
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