PAKISTAN PERSPECTIVE

Pakistani media covered the mediation with intense national pride mixed with caution. After Araghchi met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, the government declared itself an 'honest broker.' Trump's cancellation was framed as a test of Pakistani resolve rather than a failure. Dawn noted that the Hormuz closure had already forced Pakistan into a costly LNG deal at $18.4/MMBtu, making conflict resolution an economic imperative. Analysts stressed Pakistan's unique triangular position: a Sunni-majority nation with deep Iran ties, long-standing US support, and SCO membership — a combination few states can claim.