From ceasing a deadly war to attempting a permanent peace between two archrivals carrying decades of grievances against each other is a significant accomplishment. Strategically, Pakistan has demonstrated to the world that, if given the opportunity to mediate with sincerity of purpose and trust, it can deliver. This is in addition to the fact that Pakistan itself remains among the worst affected countries, both economically and in terms of its diplomatic sensitivities and vulnerabilities in Iran and the Gulf region.

Pakistan's position as a bridge between competing interests, rather than being confined to rigid alignments, has been widely acknowledged and appreciated. A brief review of mediations carried out over the last forty years highlights the uniqueness of this case. In the past, mediations were either undertaken by superpowers to secure dominance and expand their spheres of influence or carried out with their strong backing to exert diplomatic pressure and economic leverage. In contrast, this mediation involves a superpower and its post-Cold War's oldest adversary, facilitated by a country with no covert intent, but driven by its own geostrategic and economic imperatives.

If the conflict continues,........

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