The third Pathways to Development Conference, held from December 16–18, 2024 at LUMS, brought together leading academics, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from Pakistan and around the world to address urgent questions of governance and inclusion. Co-hosted by the MHRC and several research partners, the conference served as a platform for showcasing cutting-edge research and fostering productive dialogue across disciplines and sectors. The event featured keynote addresses by Dr. Lant Pritchett (London School of Economics) and Dr. Mazhar Waseem (University of Manchester), who offered critical insights on the global development challenge and Pakistan’s taxation landscape, respectively. In a powerful plenary session, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah underscored the intrinsic link between climate finance and climate justice, calling for equitable global responses to environmental crises.

Over the three days, the conference convened nineteen expert panelists to explore pressing themes such as land rights, education policy, and development resilience. Presentations by thirty-one researchers addressed a wide range of topics, including poverty, digital innovation, climate adaptation, governance, gender, public health, and the macroeconomic challenges facing South Asia. The program featured speakers from globally renowned institutions, including the University of Oxford, Cambridge University, Princeton University, Harvard University, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund, alongside senior government officials and development sector professionals. The conference left participants with new avenues for collaboration and concrete interventions in the pursuit of inclusive, evidence-based policy.