Pakistan’s real test as a peace maker lies in curbing cross-border terrorism

JK News Today Commentary

Western media and some leaders from Europe have started talking about Pakistan in laudatory terms ever since it appointed itself as a messenger between Iran and the United States in the middle of West Asian war. It seemed that they have spotted Pakistan for the first time on the map, or they were viewing it as a transformed nation.

No, that’s not true.

The world has its own compulsions to view and hails Pakistan in this fashion, though there have been some powerful voices cautioning both US and Iran against trusting the terror-exporting country too much and its role as broker.

A basic fact needs to be understood that the whole world was alarmed by the West Asian war that started with America-Israel striking at Iran on February 28, killing its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini and top leadership of the country, triggering retaliation by Iran in Gulf States hosting American assets and bases. It imposed all restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, crippling energy supply chains. This created global energy crisis, with oil prices going up, shortage of LPG and crash of stock markets. Every corner of the world was affected. All the oil exporting countries particularly in Asia and Europe were looking for an early end to the war.

In this whole episode three major factors are involved: ( a) the geostrategic location of Pakistan, ( b) its ties with China, and ( c) the deployment of flattery and optics emanating from what Islamabad calls its efforts in brokering peace between the US and Iran.

Pakistan’s geostrategic location is its biggest asset. In this particular case, it border with Iran and it also has the second largest Shia population after Iran, made it a candidate for exchanging the messages .It took advantage of that. The US knows how to use Pakistan’s location to its advantage. It had used this country while fighting the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in 1980s and then again in the post 9/11 in its war against terror. It’s different matter that Trump, during his first term, had accused Pakistan of playing double game – taking dollars from the US and at the same time sheltering terrorists and masterminds of the 9/11 terror attack .

Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Bill Roggio told Fox News Digital that “Trump should not trust the Pakistanis,” as he recalled and pointed out,” Pakistan was a perfidious ally in Afghanistan, backing the Taliban while pretending to be our friends. Munir’s ties to the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) should be a massive red flag for the Trump administration.”

But Trump was pleased with Pakistan’ army chief for proposing his name for Nobel Peace Prize. He, and Shehbaz Sharif flattered him for bringing about ceasefire between India and Pakistan during May2025 conflict , which India did not agree. In fact , India has rejected all such suggestions .

A closer look at the developments establishes the fact that China was orchestrating Pakistan’s moves. Primarily, Pakistan that claims to be “all-weather friend” of China has been carrying out Beijing’s dictates. China has close relations with Iran too. China’s role was admitted by President Trump as well.

There are two kinds of mediations : one in which the whole thing is driven by the seriousness of the mediator or the mediating country or group of countries , and the second is centered around optics . As the events unfolded since early April, Pakistan resorted to high-profile optics in the social media posts and then while hosting the talks in Islamabad last weekend. The delegates from the Iran and the US were hugged and then displayed before cameras while talking to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the defector ruler – Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. Their hotel and gestures were shown almost live on Pakistan’s official TV channels, while movement of journalists was severely restricted. That is how Pakistan functions and it was nothing new. It did try, and succeeded to some extent too, in staging an event. It was more about showing Pakistan as a host than pushing for the serious discussions, and the results were obvious – talks failed.

Optics was more pronounced than the content and the course. It is indeed a fact that Pakistan has become active again, and it is engaged in shuttle diplomacy to make the talks happen again, and that too on its soil. Its army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir is shuttling between Tehran and Washington , while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has travelled to Saudi Arabia to seek $ 6 billion loan to repay UAE , and Qatar and Turkey in what seems to be diplomatic outreach and raising loans to stabilize its economy that lies in tatters.

Talks may take place again, but it should not lead the world to believe that Pakistan has changed its colour . Its real test lies whether it stops cross-border terrorism against its neighbours-India and Pakistan. Until such time , all these mediation efforts are fake and misleading

(Arun Joshi is an international affairs expert , author and journalist . He can ve accessed ajoshi57@gamil.com)