Pakistan's secret defense pact with Saudi Arabia — never reviewed by parliament — puts Islamabad in an impossible position as a so-called neutral mediator. Deploying fighter jets to Saudi Arabia on the very day ceasefire talks were happening in Islamabad is a glaring conflict of interest that torpedoed any credibility Pakistan had with Tehran. A country bound by treaty to defend one side of a war simply cannot broker peace.
Pakistan's dual role as Saudi military ally and US-Iran mediator isn't a contradiction — it's a masterstroke of strategic diplomacy that even the White House called "incredible." Saudi Arabia's $3 billion deposit securing Pakistan's foreign reserves proves Islamabad's balancing act is delivering real results. Keeping all sides talking while honoring defense commitments is exactly the kind of disciplined, high-stakes diplomacy the region desperately needs.
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