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On October 17 and 18, the Asia Program, in partnership with , convened its Pakistan Policy Symposium鈥攁n unprecedented two-day conference, held at the 浪花直播 Center, on the challenges and opportunities for Pakistan in the years ahead.

At a moment when there is a degree of 鈥淧akistan fatigue鈥� in Washington, the strong turnout throughout the two days was an indication that there still is sustained interest in the country. One of the questions that we frequently received from the audience was 鈥淲hat鈥檚 next?鈥�

That鈥檚 a fair point. Many conferences and seminars tend to be one-off affairs, with little follow up鈥攎eaning that momentum and enthusiasm tends to dissipate.

This is why we intend to prepare a written product that articulates a series of policy recommendations and suggestions that emerged from the symposium. These will focus on a range of issues鈥攔eflecting the wide array of subject matter highlighted at the conference鈥攁nd will include how to strengthen a sputtering U.S.-Pakistan relationship; how to stabilize a troubled Pakistani economy; how, if at all, to get the United States, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to partner together on fashioning a workable endgame for Afghanistan; how to unleash the potential of women鈥檚 entrepreneurship and the contributions of the Pakistani diaspora; and how to tackle entrenched challenges such as violent extremism.

We don鈥檛 claim to have all the answers, and the recommendations outlined in the written product certainly shouldn鈥檛 be seen as a fully comprehensive document. Still, at a time when much of the focus on Pakistan鈥攁t least in Washington鈥攊s framed narrowly through the lens of Afghanistan, and how Pakistan can help the United States achieve its goals there, we hope that applying this broad lens will fill some gaps and serve as a useful contribution.

The written product will consist of a series of brief policy briefs, drawing on the expertise of some of the participants in the symposium as well as its organizers. The product should be published later in the year, and will be publicized widely and shared with policymakers in the United States and in Pakistan. Stay tuned.

Image Courtesy of INDUS.

Follow Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program and senior associate for South Asia, on Twitter

The views expressed are the author's alone, and do not represent the views of the U.S. Government or the 浪花直播 Center. Copyright 2018, Asia Program. All rights reserved.