Watch the U.S.-Pakistan Legislators Forum video here!
Convergence U.S.-Pakistan Relations Project
The Challenge
Pakistan and the United States are long-time allies with a deeply strained relationship. The focus of this relationship has been on critical security issues where 90% of the dialogue takes place between government and military leaders. In a generation, Pakistan will be the fifth most populous country in the world (the U.S. is fourth); Pakistan is a fragile democracy with nuclear capability and a critical player in the Asia/MENA region. To strengthen the U.S.-Pakistan relationship, the people of both societies must improve their understanding of each other and invest in the success of this relationship through avenues such as commerce, trade, entrepreneurship, education, arts, and cultural exchange.
Dialogue Leading to Action
The U.S.-Pakistan Leaders Forum (USPLF), which concluded in 2015, provided a platform for leaders from both countries to build new relationships that create value and can serve as a strong “shock absorber” for the tensions that arise in official ties. Over four years, we convened diverse American and Pakistani leaders to discuss common challenges and shared opportunities. These efforts produced tangible results – dozens of partnerships have launched, connecting students, teachers, business executives, media, cultural and religious leaders, and many more.
Please click on any of the links below to learn more about our individual efforts.
Partnerships Formed through USPLF
Forum Events
Articles
- “Beyond Raymond Davis” by Wendy Chamberlin & Syed Babar Ali
- “Hope for Pakistan” by Charles Montgomery
- “Pakistanis want a better future” by Cynthia Schneider & Aakif Ahmad
- “Perfect time to ramp up civil society dialogue” by Lisa Curtis
- “Reflections On Pakistan From A Recent Visitor” by Alan Jones
- “Shock absorbers for U.S., Pakistan” by Brian Katulis & Aakif Ahmad
- “U.S.-Pakistan Leaders Forum to bridge relations gap Interview with Aakif Ahmad”
Additional Links
More Information
For more information about this project, please contact Dusie Cassata at dusie@convergencepolicy.org.
The U.S.-Pakistan Leaders Forum was conducted in partnership with the Consensus Building Institute and the Institute for Resource and Security Studies.
