Ungrievable Lives and Unintended Consequences: Pakistan, the U.S., and the “War on Terror”

This panel examines the human costs of the “war on terror” for Pakistanis and its implications for the rule of law, governance, and justice in Pakistan.

In the United States, Pakistan is seen from the outside looking in—as a strategic ally, a contentious partner, a nation of terrorism, and a war front. But citizens of the country see and experience the consequences of that war in a very different way. The speakers examine those consequences, which include large-scale loss of life and displacement; harm to the rights and protections offered to citizens by the Pakistani constitution and laws; and the undermining of confidence in legal structures, in the context of Islamabad’s evolving relationship with Washington and regional adversaries.

Panelists:

• Asim Rafiqui: photojournalist and Open Society Fellow
• Saadia Toor: sociologist, CUNY
• Sarah Belal: Director, Justice Project Paksitan
• Shamila Chaudhary (Moderator): Senior South Asia Fellow, New America Foundation