“I think history is being written. Pakistan’s leadership and hybrid system… are delivering results,” Defense Minister said
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif. PHOTO: APPLICATION/File
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said Friday that Pakistan played a “crucial role” in ending the war between the United States and Israel.
Speaking in an interview with private media’s ‘Naya Pakistan’ show, he said Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan were involved in efforts to end the war and prevent further destruction in the region.
“It is a matter of honor for us that the leadership of Pakistan is playing an important and central role in ending a conflict in which our brotherly Muslim community is involved.”
He attributed Pakistan’s greater role in mediating the conflict to “its improved image and standing” internationally and among Muslim countries after last year’s military conflict with India.
The defense minister also highlighted Pakistan’s intensified diplomacy in the aftermath of the conflict, saying the country was in a “unique phase” of its history where there was strong trust.
“Another side of this coin is our relations with the United States and the direction they have taken,” Asif said, adding that Pakistan had never reached the kind of position it currently occupies in its diplomacy with the United States.
The minister further said that Pakistan was in a state of active war with Afghanistan, with “tepid tensions” also with India.
“I think history is being made. Pakistan’s leadership and the hybrid system… are delivering results. Not only in Pakistan… but as our prestige has grown internationally, I think Pindi and Islamabad have realized that respect for Pakistan is rooted in a common leadership front.”
Asif said Pakistan was in a position to play a role, adding that it was a historic opportunity for the government to mark its position for future generations to remember.
“We need to take advantage of the opportunities provided by nature. I think staying away is not an option,” he said, adding that there were not many huge risk factors for Pakistan in this situation.
“I think the benefits are enormous,” he added.
Asked about the possible implementation of a mutual defense pact with Saudi Arabia if the Gulf countries respond to Iran, the defense minister said: “We might be subject to the situation, you are absolutely right. That is why the role of diplomacy is all the more important, so we do not let this situation happen and avoid it.”
Asked about reports that Pakistan would host US-Iran talks, Asif said it was better for him not to comment on the situation so that it could materialize on its own.
On recent derogatory remarks by Indian leaders on Pakistan’s role, the minister said: “I think they are tearing their mouths… it is their failure, there is no doubt about it. Jaishankar and his father were diplomats… diplomacy is his family profession, and he is mocking us by calling them a ‘broker’? he is a ‘broker’ by tradition and he is mocking us.”
He also wondered whether India had tried to play a similar role in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
“I think India has been defeated, both militarily and diplomatically…the face of the butcher of Gujarat has come to the fore.”
On the progress of the operation against Afghanistan, he said Pakistan had succeeded in exerting pressure but could not predict the long-term situation. “The offensive we started is not over, there was a lull due to Eid and the world’s attention is currently focused on a bigger conflict. We will not give them any respite, there is no doubt about that. We must conclude this operation to achieve maximum results.”
The minister expressed hope that China’s influence on and in Afghanistan would help resolve the crisis once and for all.
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In a potentially game-changing diplomatic signal, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently publicly offered Pakistan as the venue for U.S.-Iran peace talks, an offer that received extraordinary momentum when President Donald Trump reposted it on his Truth Social platform, a move widely seen in Islamabad as Washington’s tacit endorsement of Pakistan’s emerging role as mediator.
Trump’s unprecedented split has injected new momentum into Pakistan’s bid for mediation, suggesting that the idea of Islamabad as a neutral venue for high-stakes negotiations is gaining traction at the highest levels in Washington.
Pakistan’s cautious public stance came as it quietly emerged as a key player seeking to end the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran. According to American media and officials close to the matter, Islamabad is positioning itself as a potential venue for negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
Meanwhile, the country’s military leaders also engaged Washington. A report in the Financial Times said Chief of Defense Force and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir held a telephonic conversation with President Trump to discuss the developing situation.
Diplomatic sources said the contacts reflected Pakistan’s attempt to leverage its unique ties with Tehran and Washington to create space for dialogue.
At the same time, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar led a turbulent diplomatic campaign, speaking separately to his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. During both conversations, Dar emphasized dialogue and diplomacy to ensure peace and stability, with all parties agreeing to remain in close contact.
These parallel engagements, also involving Turkey and Egypt, demonstrate a coordinated but still nascent mediation effort, largely focused on indirect messaging rather than a formal negotiation process.
