In a surprising yet timely twist, the recent border tensions with India have done more than just inflame rhetoric — they have quietly recast Pakistan’s position on the global chessboard. What might have easily become another flashpoint in a volatile region instead turned into a rare moment of diplomatic leverage and strategic recalibration for Islamabad.
Gone are the days when Pakistan’s global image was dominated by economic fragility and counterterrorism pressures. Today, the country finds itself navigating a rapidly evolving geopolitical environment with greater confidence and renewed relevance. From the cautious resurgence of security cooperation with the United States to the quiet yet impactful diplomacy during the Iran-Israel standoff, Islamabad has emerged not merely as a reactive actor, but as one actively shaping its regional and global posture.
This shift owes much to Pakistan’s measured response to the Pahalgam incident — a response that not only deflected India’s familiar allegations of cross-border militancy, but also exposed the diminishing international appetite for unsubstantiated narratives. The recalibration has also been aided by Pakistan’s maturing diplomatic relationships with China and Turkiye, and growing interest in its vast untapped mineral wealth. As new opportunities emerge across Central Asia and South Asia’s periphery, including in Bangladesh, Pakistan finds itself well-positioned to build fresh alliances — if it can sustain strategic coherence.
But external gains can only be consolidated through internal stability. The country’s leadership must now pivot from momentary wins to long-term strength by addressing its persistent internal vulnerabilities. This includes deepening economic reforms, institutionalising counterterrorism efforts, and investing in political stability.
Notably, recent statements from Pakistan’s military command reflect a growing consensus on the need for “decisive and holistic actions” against all terrorist factions. This recognition is timely. While ongoing operations in Balochistan and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa border areas have earned acknowledgement from international observers, the remnants of banned groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad — long exploited by India in international forums — remain a critical vulnerability.
Although Pakistan has made significant progress in dismantling these networks, largely under FATF scrutiny, New Delhi continues to leverage their lingering presence for diplomatic gain. However, India’s ability to do so may be waning. The latest FATF submissions from both countries highlight a stark contrast: Pakistan’s data, sourced transparently from the National Counter Terrorism Authority, outlines concrete efforts to combat terrorism financing. India’s contributions, by contrast, rely on selectively framed narratives, lacking transparency and broader credibility.
What’s more, misrepresentations by Indian media regarding FATF’s findings — which in fact show no new concerns about Pakistan’s compliance — underscore how even weaponised diplomacy can lose its edge when it lacks factual backing. It is here that Pakistan’s growing institutional credibility is beginning to pay off.
But Islamabad must resist the temptation to fall into a tit-for-tat narrative war. Repeating India’s mistakes by overrelying on blame-based diplomacy will do little to improve Pakistan’s standing. Instead, a disciplined, independent strategy — rooted in transparency, legal reform, and regional engagement — will speak louder than any counter-narrative.
Pakistan stands at a strategic inflection point. The global environment is increasingly favourable, and regional power dynamics are in flux. The task now is to turn this moment of geopolitical opportunity into sustainable progress — not through rhetorical bravado, but through consistent, credible governance and diplomacy.
The makings of a “new Pakistan” may well be emerging — one that is confident, strategically grounded, and diplomatically effective. But to move from moment to momentum, Pakistan must double down on reforms at home and resist the lure of old habits abroad. Only then will its rising global relevance prove lasting.
