Pakistan’s history is a story of crisis – economic, political, cultural and developmental, often scarred as earlier this year by troubled relations with its rising neighbour, India. Times of optimism and change have too often been dashed. Yet Pakistan survives, and grows. Its economy is seen by many as more robust than figures suggest, particularly when including its black economy. With a burgeoning middle class gaining influence, seeking order and stability, and given its geo-political significance in an uncertain global order, maybe there are positive pathways. We plan to explore whither Pakistan ? in this seminar, led by three distinguished speakers on the economy, politics and law.

This panel is co-hosted by the Vicky Noon Education Foundation, and the Asian Studies Centre at St Antony’s College, Oxford. The moderator will be Dr Paul Flather, chair of the VNEF trust.

Over the past 30 years, the VNEF has helped provide c £7m worth of support for more than 230 top young Pakistani students to study as Noon Scholars at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

This event will celebrate three decades of work and forms part of the VNEF’s annual general meeting, when trustees will also select the 2025-26 Noon Scholars. All welcome, to be followed by a reception.