Exclusive interview: Adapting Pakistan’s development model to geoeconomic disruption

Being on the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia, Pakistan's past economic growth has been driven by providing security services to other countries and getting foreign financial aid in return. However, this traditional development model has created boom-bust cycles and balance of payment crises, and historically hampered Pakistan's economic development. How can Pakistan break out of the cycle?

Marc Saxer, Director of FES Asia spoke with Dr. Moeed W. Yusuf, Vice Chancellor of Beaconhouse National University and former National Security Advisor (NSA) of Pakistan. In this exclusive interview, Dr. Moeed shared his vision how Pakistan can pivot to a better suited development model:

“If Pakistan can create a model of positive interdependence with the region and other countries that it works with, then you've got a geoeconomic pivot whereby Pakistan is not leading with support in the security sector only, but focuses on things: 1) becoming a regional connectivity hub and 2) a steady flow of foreign exchange for Pakistan.”