We are now in the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, the sacred month of Hajj during which Muslims are prohibited from engaging in warfare. This prohibition originates from the Holy Qur’an and was also practised by our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). For more than 40 days now (since April 8th), the ceasefire brokered between Tehran and Washington by Pakistan has held against all odds. Almost 40 days of war were followed by more than 40 days of peace. In Islam, 40 is a sacred number symbolising a complete cycle of patience or reflection. Will the ceasefire result in a lasting peace agreement, or will hostilities break out again after Eid? That is the question on everyone’s mind.

One thing is clear, however: had it not been for Pakistan’s military leadership, we would have been facing much worse than this seemingly endless uncertainty in the region. They say that “fortune favours the brave”, and our Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, backed by military intelligence, took the chance to facilitate the Islamabad Talks on April 11–12 between the two foes who had not met face to face since the 1979 revolution took place in Iran.

In those heady days of April when the peace talks between the US and Iran took place in Islamabad’s Serena Hotel, with the verdant Margalla Hills laden with clouds in the background promising hope, the entire world focused its attention on us. Pakistan was being talked about for all the right reasons – as a peacemaker and a trusted facilitator.

Since last year’s skirmish with India in May, when the well-prepared Pakistan Air Force gave the enemy a resounding thrashing over the skies of the subcontinent, we all could not have felt prouder when Pakistan stabilised the ceasefire and came close to negotiating a potential end to the 2026 Iran War. Unfortunately, the talks broke down abruptly, and the US Vice President JD Vance flew out of the capital after thanking us in a short press conference. Since then, we, along with the rest of the world, have been waiting wearily for round 2 while bracing for the impacts of increasing petrol prices and rising food........

© The Friday Times