Photo: The PIEAt The PIE Live Asia Pacific 2026, Australian universities and policymakers were urged to rethink their engagement with Pakistan, with speakers warning the country is too often viewed through the lens of visa risk rather than its strategic value. The Pakistan panel argued the resulting uncertainty was already being felt in one of Australia’s fastest-growing student markets. Zaidi urged Australian institutions to build deeper, long-term partnerships with trusted education agents and universities in Pakistan rather than treating recruitment as a transactional exercise. Malik argued Australia’s academic reputation had never been the problem. It won’t just benefit universities financially – it will benefit both countries through the brilliant minds that Pakistan has to offer.”