As tensions intensify between United States, Israel, and Iran, a new diplomatic centre is quietly taking shape in Islamabad. Recent reports suggesting that Pakistan may host a high-level summit, potentially involving JD Vance and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, point to a significant shift in regional diplomacy. At the centre of this development is Pakistan, positioning itself not merely as an observer but as a proactive mediator in one of the most volatile geopolitical crises of the decade.

On the face of it, it might seem that the appearance of Pakistan as a mediator in such a high-stakes conflict is out of the blue. In practice, it is the result of a protracted, calculated development of foreign policy; one which fuses strategic necessity with historical precedent.

A Familiar Role in Unfamiliar Times

The present diplomatic stance of Pakistan has its origins in the past. In 1971, Islamabad made the secret visit of Henry Kissinger to Beijing, which preconditioned the US-China rapprochement, which changed the world geopolitics. That episode made Pakistan a state that can carry out sensitive and high-level diplomacy between enemies.

Fifty years later, the situation has changed, but the principle is the same: Pakistan acts best as a partisan actor, not as a bridge. This strategy has been rekindled under the new urgency of Shehbaz Sharif. His recent interactions with Iranian leadership, such as Masoud Pezeshkian, and similar communication lines with Washington, are an indication of an effort to place Pakistan at the centre of de-escalation.

More importantly, it is not a lone ranger diplomacy. The military leadership of Pakistan, especially Asim Munir, has also been involved in the background to get the key counterparts in the........

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