Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent remarks during his visit to Iran signal a pragmatic shift in Pakistan’s approach to one of the world’s most enduring geopolitical flashpoints: its relationship with India. At a joint press conference in Tehran, the prime minister extended an olive branch to New Delhi, calling for dialogue on the long-standing disputes that have plagued both nations since partition — chief among them, the issue of Kashmir.
This overture comes at a particularly delicate time. Pakistan has only recently emerged from a military escalation with India, one that reignited tensions across the Line of Control and sparked fresh concerns in global capitals about the stability of South Asia. In that context, the prime minister’s diplomatic message is not only timely but necessary. While military deterrence may provide short-term security, history has shown that sustainable peace in the region depends on persistent and principled diplomacy.
What stands out in this recent development is not just Pakistan’s willingness to engage with India, but the broader context of its foreign policy recalibration. The prime minister’s current four-nation tour — framed as a gesture of gratitude toward countries that supported Pakistan during its recent crisis — also underlines Islamabad’s recognition of the role regional powers play in maintaining peace. Countries like Iran, despite their own complex relations with the international community, have long shared cultural and economic ties with Pakistan. These relationships, when strengthened, offer a buffer against isolation and a foundation for multilateral cooperation.
Iran’s warm reception of the Pakistani delegation, including high-level engagements and symbolic gestures such as a guard of honor, demonstrates how mutual interests can pave the way for more substantive partnerships. Tehran, like Islamabad, has a vested interest in preventing further conflict in the region. As neighbors with shared borders and intertwined histories, both countries benefit from regional calm and suffer from its absence.
However, diplomacy will require more than gestures. It demands consistency, political will, and a readiness to engage in difficult conversations. For Pakistan, this means staying committed to dialogue even when tensions with India rise, and avoiding rhetoric or actions that could derail fragile efforts at rapprochement. It also means recognizing the limitations of bilateralism in a deeply interconnected region. Multilateral forums — from the United Nations to regional groupings like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization — can offer platforms where broader consensus can be built and external mediation may help bridge seemingly insurmountable gaps.
For too long, South Asia has been a region where nuclear brinkmanship and deep-seated enmity have shaped policy more than shared human and economic interests. That paradigm must shift. Pakistan’s overtures, if sincere and sustained, could be the beginning of that change. But success will depend not only on Pakistan’s own strategy, but on the willingness of India and other regional stakeholders to embrace dialogue over division.
Peace in South Asia is possible, but it will require the region’s leaders to act not as rivals, but as responsible custodians of a shared future.
