Roundtable with Hina Khar on Pakistan’s Growing Influence

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Roundtable
Hina Khar and Leslie Vinjamuri discuss the driving forces behind Pakistan's recent diplomatic initiatives and their potential implications for Pakistan, the Iran War, and the future of the Middle East.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar delivers a speech at an international conference on July 8, 2012.
Oct
5
Itsuo Inouye / AP Pool
Speakers
Hina Rabbani Khar
Leslie Vinjamuri
Event Date

About This Event

In response to the Iran War and blockade of the Persian Gulf, Pakistan positioned itself as a key mediator between the United States, Iran, and the Gulf countries, brokering a temporary ceasefire in April. In the following months, Pakistan has continued to play a key role, engaging in shuttle diplomacy with a wide range of stakeholders. What does this new role mean for Pakistan’s future engagement in the Middle East? How does Pakistan view the prospects of a resolution to the Iran War? And what are the factors shaping Pakistan’s foreign policy? Pakistan's former foreign affairs minister Hina Khar joins Council President and CEO Leslie Vinjamuri for a conversation on Pakistan's evolving foreign policy, domestic politics, and economic growth.

About the Speakers
Hina Rabbani Khar
Former Foreign Minister of Pakistan
Hina Khar
Hina Rabbani Khar served as the first woman Foreign Minister of Pakistan from 2011 to 2013. She has been elected Member Parliament for four terms and is currently serving as Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Parliament of Pakistan. Khar began her political career in 2002 and has held several cabinet positions including Foreign Minister, Minister of State for Finance, and Minister of State for Economic Affairs.
Hina Khar
Leslie Vinjamuri
President & Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Leslie Vinjamuri headshot
Dr. Leslie Vinjamuri joined the Council in 2025 as the president and chief executive officer, after previously serving as director of the US and the Americas program at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, known as Chatham House, in London. She is Professor of Practice in International Studies and Diplomacy at SOAS University of London.
Leslie Vinjamuri headshot
Issues Geopolitics
Regions Middle East and North Africa South Asia
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