THEY came, they talked and they left, only to return within a day. That was true of the Iranians but not the Americans who were to fly in from DC but last-minute changes to their plans meant they never got on the plane. Some of them were said to be holed up in Islamabad’s Serena Hotel but there was little information available about them. Perhaps, even in this age of musbat (positive) reporting, one can say that the stalemate continues, though those in the know insist there is slow and steady progress behind the scenes. They have been reporting this positively for weeks now so the rest of us muggles can only hope for the best and point out that the ceasefire is still in place. But none of us can forget that the Strait of Hormuz is still closed and blockaded, supply lines are disrupted and the lack of trust can cause an accident, which may lead to a resumption of hostilities. But in the meantime, all the roads still lead to Pakistan.

The Iranians returned here twice over the weekend, while the Americans, too, were nearly here again. Neither one of the two warring countries nor the others waiting for the conflict to end can stop praising Pakistan. Indeed, be it local television or social media — domestic and international alike — every platform is full of Pakistan, its geopolitical role and relevance. There are stories galore and multiple WhatsApp forwards on how Pakistan and its field marshal gained President Donald Trump’s attention and approval as well as Iran’s trust. And ‘middle power’ is now used in........

© Dawn