‘Islamabad Talks’ would be remembered in the pages of history as ‘Pakistan Moment’! It was amazing for all Pakistanis to see how rival sides, the USA & Iran, remained involved in marathon peace talks. When the fog of war was thickening, it was Pakistan which stepped up the diplomacy to avert the catastrophic expansion of hostilities. Willingness of both the USA & Iran for a two-week ceasefire provided a sigh of relief to the world. It is not an overstatement that Pakistan actually brought the USA & Iran on the track of diplomacy from the brink of a devastating phase of war. It is heartening to watch the world acknowledge and pay tribute to Pakistan for successfully managing the high-stakes diplomacy. Pakistan acted exactly in a way that the quote of Blaise Pascal goes, “Diplomacy is the art of saying things in such a way that those to whom we speak may listen to them with pleasure”. The appearance of Pakistan at the centre stage of peace efforts in the highly complicated war crisis of recent times is being praised all over the world, except for two countries, i.e., India and Israel. Discomfort in India is multidimensional and quite understandable as well. Traditional rivalry with Pakistan is the mainstay of the ruling party, the BJP’s political legacy in India.
Pakistan acted exactly in a way that the quote of Blaise Pascal goes, “Diplomacy is the art of saying things in such a way that those to whom we speak may listen to them with pleasure”.
The victory of the BJP in the past two elections was the outcome of false flag operations vis-à-vis war rhetoric against Pakistan. Whereas, the first victory of the BJP in the national election was obtained by perpetuating anti-Muslim sentiments laced with the Babri Mosque demolition drive. Almost a week prior to high-stakes parleys in Islamabad, the Foreign Minister of India, Jay Shankar, criticised Pakistan’s mediatory role by using very unethical words. The fact of the matter is that the growing itch on the Indian side over the rapidly improving diplomatic stature of Islamabad reflects the absurdity of the BJP government’s approach towards Pakistan. Decades-long ‘Bollywood style’ cheap rhetoric projected against Pakistan has actually pushed the Modi regime into a tight spot where the peace restoration role of Islamabad seems a defeat to a jealous neighbour. Certain quarters unrealistically expected a deal or major breakthrough at the end of the USA-Iran dialogue. Diplomacy never accelerates with such speed. A two-week ceasefire and bringing the warring sides (Iran-USA) to the dialogue table was a real breakthrough. Participation of high-power delegations from both sides further stamped the remarkable trust of stakeholders in Pakistan. Those conversant with complicated diplomatic and mediatory processes unanimously appreciate the skilful handling of Pakistan, which eventually averted the expansion of war. Pakistan successfully paved the way for a diplomatic journey and opened the avenues for successive engagements as well. The USA, Iran, all regional stakeholders and prominent global players are praising the role and efforts of Pakistan. Three major objectives achieved by Pakistan in the unprecedented dialogue are too heavy to undermine. First, a ceasefire was achieved under a highly volatile environment. Second, the warring sides were brought to the dialogue table to find a peaceful solution. Third, after the direct USA-Iran high-stakes diplomatic engagement, the world now exactly knows the true nature of the deadlock. Issues like the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the future of Tehran’s nuclear program and payment of war damages compensation are too complex to solve in one session. First engagement between the USA and Iran should not be gauged on the scale of a breakthrough. Pakistan actually unblocked diplomatic space between Tehran and Washington. While the hard statements are pouring in from both sides, none of the players has denied future diplomatic engagements. This very point provides a ray of hope to all peace lovers, and obviously, Pakistan is still striving hard for the restoration of durable peace.
The writer is a student.