Margalla Machismo!

Welcome to Islamabad-District of Columbia! The United States allied-ally, Pakistan, lived up to the expectations of the White House as it successfully calibrated one of the best diplomatic dissertations by making Iranians rub shoulders with the Americans. The Persians came in with their heads high and stood tall as the tête-à-tête kept on testing the patience of statesmanship on either side of the divide. The talks in the federal capital after 40 days of warfare, death, and destruction in the region manifested Pakistan’s geostrategic invincibility, as well as its articulation to get things moving even in adversity.

It reminds me of Wayne Dyer, American author and motivational speaker, who said, “When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.” The carefully guarded script was enacted tactfully by the best minds of the Foreign Office, and Field Marshal Asim Munir led from the front. The parleys left no qualms in ensuring that Islamabad is neither Muscat nor Geneva, where deliberations wither away in thin air. The perfection was shrouded in secrecy as realpolitik dimensions compelled rivals across the table to keep their cool and desist from playing to the gallery.

Vice-President J.D. Vance and Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf exhibited courage and conviction as they left Islamabad, pinning their hopes on bilateralism. That was not an easy moment for foes who were capitalizing on perishing each other before they flew into Islamabad. For Pakistan, it was another feather in its cap after the 1971 China-US rapprochement, which turned the tide in its favor in the regional leadership contest.

Beijing was forthcoming as it made Tehran stay afloat by putting its weight behind the closure of the Straits of Hormuz, and assuring Islamabad that it would hold on to Washington from going astray. Likewise, the talks in Urumqi with the Afghans under the auspices of the Red Dragon freed our preoccupation from the western frontiers. What a Machiavellian performance by all and sundry underneath the Hills of Margalla!

The flip side, however, of their air-dashing was too sensational. Iranians came in with their expedition named ‘Minab-168’ after the deceased schoolchildren who were victims of a Tomahawk missile on the first day of the conflict. Americans arrived with the pomp and prestige of their hardware, as state-of-the-art bulletproof vehicles were paraded from Noor Khan Airbase to the Serena Hotel and the US Embassy, forcing residents of the twin cities to hold their breath in anticipation. The security shield rested with the US Special Services as ours played fiddle in the exterior rings of vigilance. Never was the city as nail-biting as it was during this mediation episode, as media persons remained groping in the dark.