The hype and excitement amongst the Pakistani establishment were evident since the announcement of the parleys in Islamabad between the Iranians and the Americans.
There is a lot to be proud of, no doubt. Pakistan deftly managed two very different parties to the conflict and multiple subsidiaries involved in this unjust war.
A little maturity was required in the self-promotion brigade let loose in Pakistan. The usuals were floating the idea of Nobel Prizes and praising the feats achieved even before anyone had touched down at Nur Khan Air Base.
The Pakistani formal media was at sea and irrelevant to information regarding what was happening, or even attempting to discuss the related issues around the peace talks. From the onset, I did not have any expectations for ‘an accord’ because the gap between the parties was too wide, and the elephant in the room had yet to be neutralised by genocidal Israel.
Nevertheless, talking never harms and is an essential step towards de-escalating a third world war with catastrophic consequences for seven billion people. Information was tightly controlled and managed, with no leaks but for the information the managers wanted in the public domain.
Foreign journalists associated with the Iranians and Americans had some conversations to fill the airwaves, while the rest of the local press relied on experienced journalism to fill in the massive information gap throughout the 21 hours of parleys.
As a resident of Islamabad, I was concerned about local security. If the talks were to extend beyond Sunday, would the schools and the city continue to remain closed? Our state managers have little concern for the education of our future; at the drop of an event or a guest in town, schools are closed with absolutely no regard for the consequences for the young citizens’ education.
In no way are the people of Pakistan neutral in this unjust, immoral war against an entire people, from Palestine to Iran
The inconvenience to the average citizen has never been a priority for those at the helm of affairs. This is linked to the lack of democratic legitimacy of the government.
Thankfully, residents of Islamabad did not need to push back on this, since the talks ended in less than 24 hours. The post-Islamabad talks pontification has included a lot of speculation in the absence of direct communication with the parties involved.
Two statements, one from JD Vance and one from Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, left a lot of space for interpretation. What was the mood and dynamics inside the Serena business conference room? Who did what and how? Who was on the phone with whom, and whether anyone disrupted proceedings, etc.
All of these are being speculated upon in the absence of direct, verified information.
Once again, as a resident of Islamabad, I am glad there were talks and a direct meeting to assess and lower the temperature. The world is well aware of who started this unjust, insane war — now it has to end.
There is a global consensus on this. How is that to happen? Global pressure has to continue to make America end the wars conducted with impunity. It has to realise these illegal wars it is backing are unacceptable, and that seven billion people on earth share this planet and we all have the same rights to life and dignity. America’s blundering and blustering is no longer acceptable.
Personally, I sense from the Iranian and American statements that, despite the distance between the two positions, a bridge has been found. Now it is for the American team to enable and ensure peace is restored. The Iranians, in all their public statements, have never threatened unprovoked. Self-defence and self-preservation are instincts and also legal and just.
Pakistan has become the honest mediator in the eye of this storm, and one is proud of this opportunity for peacebuilding. But in no way are the people of Pakistan neutral in this unjust, immoral war against an entire people, from Palestine to Iran.