Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za

20 April 2026

1-minute read

Pakistan’s field marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif concluded separate diplomatic visits aimed at ending the Israel/US and Iran conflict.

Marium Kamal, political analyst and assistant professor at the Centre for South Asian Studies University of Punjab, Lahore, noted that Munir attended three days of talks in Iran, while Prime Minister Sharif wrapped up talks in Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. However, despite their return to Pakistan alongside the US delegate for peace talks currently being held in Islamabad, she emphasized that “things are not clear yet,” on how to manage the conflict. With the talks being “kept secret,” it is very difficult to measure the outcome.

On determining Pakistan’s role in the conflict, Marium stated that “there is a huge shift at the global level”. Since 1992, India has been attempting to declare Pakistan a terrorist state, but after this mediation, Pakistan, despite being hailed as politically instable, has “emerged as a global mediator,” cementing its geopolitical relationship with both Washington and Iran.

Kamal mentioned that democracy is not something “indigenous” to South Asia or the Islamic world, with nomination rather than succession being the basis for new leadership. “Democracy is the phenomenon which needs to be followed,” she said, and while it differs from country to country, in Pakistan it is defined with the military superiority dominating over the civilian aspect. Under the current scenario, “the establishment and the government are playing parallel” and “very smartly,” she concluded.

Listen to the full interview with Ml Junaid Kharsany and Marium Kamal here.