Pakistan has recently adopted some wise regional choices during events that threatened to cause conflict among states, indicating it is moving away from its diplomatic isolation of the recent past.
The first such move was Army chief Gen. Asim Munir’s ongoing official visit to the U.S. at a time when regional politics are in flux. In his engagements with the U.S, secretary of State, defense secretary, deputy secretary of state, deputy national security advisor, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and CENTCOM chief, he has reiterated Pakistan’s position on Kashmir—and by extension its ties with India—and made it clear Islamabad will not support Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza.
The Chief of Army Staff also met United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres at U.N. Headquarters in New York, where he was “warmly welcomed.” During their meeting, the U.N. chief “appreciated the contributions made by the Pakistan Army and contingents of law enforcement agencies that have remained committed to the peace and stability of the world.”
Interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani took the second positive step, calling his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to help combat the “collective” challenge of terrorism, which poses significant risks to regional peace and stability. This call came about after the Jaish Al-Adl militant group claimed an attack on a police station in Rask, killing 11 Iranian security personnel, with Tehran’s interior minister claiming the terrorists had entered Iran from across the border with Pakistan. Jilani and Abdollahian also discussed Pakistan’s concerns over the Gaza crisis.
It was very wise of Pakistan to signal neutrality—and much-needed support for embattled Palestinians—in its interactions with both the U.S. and Iran. A recent U.S.-led 10-nation coalition in the Red Sea has risked the Gaza conflict spilling out across the Middle East, which is not a situation Pakistan can support, implicitly or explicitly. These moves augur well for Pakistan’s future standing in the global community; so long as the state maintains them and does not dither.