When President Donald Trump recently claimed victory in mediating ceasefires in Ukraine, Gaza, and now between India and Pakistan, he presented himself as a peacemaker able to halt global violence. Yet silencing guns is not a sign of true peace.

Temporary truces leave deep structural issues unresolved, deeply intensifying political wounds—ignored and unaddressed by a leader whose interest in peace appears limited to transactional quick fixes rather than sustainable resolutions. In South Asia, where Trump’s latest intervention resulted in a fragile halt to the worst India-Pakistan clashes in decades, the core issues remain untouched, risking further—and potentially catastrophic—escalations.

American presidents have historically held a strong influence in times of crises between Islamabad and New Delhi. In previous conflicts, notably in 1965, 1971 and even Kargil, the US mediated discreetly, emphasizing diplomatic dialogue, compromise, and conflict resolution. Trump’s recent ceasefire, though publicly celebrated, lacks exactly this depth. It hinges merely on the immediate silencing of weapons, overlooking underlying triggers that brought the nuclear-armed neighbours to near-war.

The catalyst for the recent escalation was April’s tragic attack in Pahalgam, Indian-occupied Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. India quickly attributed blame to Pakistan, without sharing any concrete evidence or allowing a neutral investigation despite Pakistan’s insistence. India’s eventual reaction—Operation Sindoor—was framed as a non-escalatory, defensive measure. The reality, however, was starkly different from what was claimed. Indian strikes included residential areas, mosques, and essential civilian infrastructure such as the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project. This was clearly a provocation, and that too, without any basis. What........

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