When Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made an look on the inaugural assembly of the Board of Peace organised by U.S. President Donald Trump, it was clear that Pakistan was determined to be seen, counted and photographed on the proper tables. In any case, visibility is a strategic asset for a rustic that fears diplomatic marginalisation and understands the forex of optics in modern geopolitics. For the military-dominated hybrid regime, it was sufficient to make a press release that Pakistan is related in international deliberations.
Additionally Learn | India participated as an ‘observer’ in Board of Peace assembly: MEA
Within the Trumpian age, when exclusion can simply result in irrelevance, the mere truth of holding a seat could seem vital. Nevertheless, when the dialogue moved from communiqués to commitments, and extra particularly to the institution of an Worldwide Stabilisation Power in Gaza, Pakistan was not amongst nations introduced to have dedicated troops. Islamabad has chosen mere visibility over actionable engagement. And this hesitation is neither shocking nor unintentional. It’s structural, rooted in Pakistan’s home constraints and a overseas coverage tradition that prizes symbolic swagger.
Throughout the nation, Pakistan’s function within the BoP has been projected as principled assist for Gaza and its political dedication to the Palestinian individuals. The statements issued by the hybrid regime have been centered on humanitarian help and the broader peace in Gaza. Nevertheless, there are deeper, advanced drivers which were at work. Islamabad has been attempting to ascertain itself because the premier voice of the Muslim world, notably on the difficulty of Palestine, the place verbal assist interprets into symbolic capital within the International South. The trigger is deeply embedded in its personal politics and nationwide identification and thus reinforces each ideological discourses and civil-military consensus. Supporters of Pakistan’s hybrid regime argue that to be absent from such a high-profile, Trump-led initiative would have compromised Pakistan’s declare to ethical and political authority in Islamic discourse and handed over the discursive house to its regional rivals. It was not an choice to be there, however a strategic crucial to stay related in regional and transnational political hierarchies.
Battle for centrality
Nevertheless, there’s one other consequential dimension of the Pakistani thought course of that’s inseparable from its strategic rivalry with India. With gradual enlargement of Indian diplomatic affect in West Asia, the place it’s concurrently constructing strategic relationships with Gulf monarchies and Israel, additionally extending humanitarian efforts to the Palestinians, Pakistan is left struggling to keep up its centrality within the regional narrative. For Pakistan, the BoP presents an opportunity to deflect the impression that India also can turn into a reputable participant on the diplomatic entrance throughout West Asia. By being one of many first to fall according to Trump’s initiative, Pakistan may place itself as a power in shaping Gaza’s post-war order. Furthermore, by collaborating in photograph alternatives, making statements of assist and positioning itself in assist of Trump’s Gaza plan, Pakistan has been demonstrating its cooperation within the hope of gaining American assist for its irredentist claims in Kashmir. Nevertheless, the distinction between claiming to be a rhetorical power and being a dedicated one is important. When tangible troop contributions have been required, the boundaries of Pakistan’s diplomatic theatre grew to become unavoidable, exposing the structural realities of its regional positioning.
International locations akin to Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, and Albania have signalled readiness to deploy personnel. Their resolution displays a willingness to translate diplomatic endorsement into operational dedication, even on the threat of entanglement in a risky theatre. Pakistan, with maybe one of many largest and most skilled peacekeeping navy forces within the growing world, has chosen to not take part. It is a telling indicator. It is a sign that Islamabad’s participation is much less constrained by capability and extra by the fragility of its home political dynamics.
The fractious inner political surroundings in Pakistan doesn’t present a lot leeway relating to issues which have implications for Palestine. The extent of Pakistani public assist for Palestine is very empathetic and politicians have a tendency to interact in a contest to show their ideological dedication by way of extremely publicised gestures. Non secular teams akin to Jamaat-e-Islami have already cautioned in opposition to any navy engagement that could possibly be seen as compromising Palestinian resistance. Even a nominal function in stabilisation efforts could possibly be seen as collaboration if the mandate of the power contains dealing coercively with Hamas. As a regime that’s already going through extreme challenges on the financial entrance and political legitimacy, the specter of home unrest associated to a overseas deployment is a powerful deterrent, regardless of how a lot private repute of Area Marshal Asim Munir is at stake internationally. Pakistan continues to stay extremely constrained by its home ideological imperatives.
Excessive political price
The stabilisation power in Gaza is strictly the form of problem that separates rhetorical management from operational accountability. Pakistan’s ruling elite can and does make robust statements in assist of Palestinian rights. Its leaders can go to conferences and assist peace frameworks. However to ship its troops right into a hotspot the place they might be known as upon to implement safety preparations in opposition to Palestinian factions would put the hybrid regime itself susceptible to expenses of betrayal. The political price could be speedy and excessive.
There may be additionally the difficulty of bandwidth. The Pakistan navy continues to be closely engaged alongside its western border and in its inner safety roles. The myriad financial challenges additionally impose their very own set of constraints. Whereas none of those make it unimaginable to deploy, they definitely improve the political threat.
One other stage of complexity is launched by Trump’s idiosyncratic management type. His overseas coverage strategy is to reward those that visibly fall into line. Throughout fastidiously staged public conferences involving the BoP, Trump has usually acted as impresario, gesturing in the direction of PM Sharif as if holding out dwelling proof of his self-proclaimed standing as sub-continental peacemaker. The scene is much less diplomacy than drama, and the Pakistani Prime Minister’s presence turns into a prop to shore up Trump’s assertion that he cooled the India-Pakistan tensions final 12 months. Pakistan is able to be paraded, applauding on demand, singing paeans that price little however dignity. There’s a goal to this tamasha which matches on as a result of it helps each Trump and Pakistan’s hybrid regime concurrently. The query is why Trump is making instrumental use of the Munir-Sharif duo, however for a way lengthy the script will final.
Pakistan’s preliminary assist for the BoP and its verbal dedication to reconstruction efforts will be seen as a transfer to maintain on the proper facet of the Trump administration. Nevertheless, when confronted with the concrete demand for troops, Islamabad has opted for warning. This confirms the speculation that great-power alignment calls for a fortified home rear – with out it, ambition crumbles to warning. This additionally displays the contradiction in Pakistan’s nationwide diplomatic identification. It desires to be a pacesetter in the reason for Muslim unity whereas on the identical time establishing strategic partnerships with Western international locations to counterbalance India. Whereas there isn’t any vital contradiction between these two targets, it’s not simple to steadiness them for a regime that misleadingly claims to be democratic. The Gaza stabilisation plan presents a dilemma on this regard.
The Pakistani stance highlights the inherent weaknesses of a overseas coverage that’s too depending on exterior endorsement within the absence of inner cohesion. When worldwide initiatives demand concrete contributions relatively than declaratory assist, these vulnerabilities are tough to cover. This under no circumstances diminishes the complexity of the Gaza tragedy. It does, nevertheless, make clear the structural constraints that form Islamabad’s coverage preferences. Mere attendance on the BoP assembly is not going to enable Pakistan to sign its relevance at the same time as abstention from the stabilization power would assist protect fragile home equilibrium.
Vinay Kaura is an Assistant Professor within the Division of Worldwide Affairs and Safety Research at Sardar Patel College of Police, Safety and Felony Justice, Rajasthan. Views expressed are private
Printed – February 26, 2026 12:50 am IST