On February 28 this year, war broke out in West Asia after US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran killing their supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei among several other important leaders of the country. The conflict led to the closure of Strait of Hormuz leading to disruption of global supply chains, especially the supply of Oil and Gas.
Following the conflict, Pakistan stepped up to try and negotiate a ceasefire deal between its neighbour Iran and reportedly its ally United States of America. Notably, Pakistan has spent best part of the last 10 months trying to please US President Trump. From nominating him for Nobel Peace Prize to public praises for him to crediting him for securing India-Pakistan ceasefire during Operation Sindoor. World hasn’t seen this level of, for the lack of a better word, a** licking in ages.
So once Pakistan moved in to try and negotiate the ceasefire, expectedly, Indian left, and general opponents of PM Narendra Modi stepped up to criticise Indian government for not doing anything and giving Pakistan an edge in geopolitics. What all did we read, Pakistan’s masterstroke, Pakistan edges India in the world, and what not.
First of all, as far as geopolitics is concerned, India is the only country in the world that can talk to all parties involved in the conflict as a friend, now THAT is foreign policy. Just like India can talk to both Ukraine and Russia during their ongoing years long war. So first of all India doesn’t need foreign policy or geopolitics lessons from Pakistan of all countries.
Now lets come to the final ceasefire, something for which Pakistan is being lauded by Indian left and even the global publications. After the ceasefire, Israel launched its biggest strike on Lebanon, killing 250 people in an attack that was the fiercest of this conflict. Iran launched a barrage of missiles and drones on UAE. There are missiles and drones flying all over the region. Strait of Hormuz is still closed. So what is this ceasefire that Pakistan brokered when everything is just the way it was before? And not to forget, this is just a temporary ceasefire, so permanent end to hostilities is still not on the table.
Now, lets come to the confusion about the ceasefire, as if it wasn’t already confusing enough, Pakistan acted as an intermediary between Iran and the US. Now US thinks they agreed to one peace plan, Iran thinks they agreed to another peace plan. Iran thinks Lebanon was included in the peace plan, US thinks it wasn’t. Iran thinks Nuclear enrichment in the country was part of the peace plan, US thinks it wasn’t. Nobody knows what they actually agreed to, great mediation by Pakistan.
Now whether Pakistan did this deliberately? Creating confusion all around? Or was it just the general incompetence of Pakistan Government, I guess we will never know for sure. However, one thing is for sure, India doesn’t need geopolitics lessons from a country like Pakistan.
While Pakistanis are gloating online that they saved the world from a war, rational people around the world are confused, what have they done.
