Shehbaz Sharif’s Trump Gambit: Mediation or Misstep?

 

In a surprising diplomatic turn, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has once again appealed to the United States to play mediator between India and Pakistan — and this time, he praised former US President Donald Trump for his "role" in fostering ceasefire talks. At an event held at the US embassy in Islamabad, Sharif lauded Trump’s efforts, suggesting that a similar American intervention could help establish a broader, long-term peace between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

But the Indian government isn't buying it.

New Delhi has repeatedly rejected third-party mediation, particularly in issues related to Kashmir and cross-border terrorism. The latest Indian response came from Shashi Tharoor, leading a government-allied delegation to the US. Tharoor made India’s stance clear: “There can be no dialogue with a gun pointed at our head.” Using a striking metaphor, he likened Pakistan’s persistent harboring of terrorist groups to a neighbour unleashing Rottweilers on your family and then asking to sit down for tea.

Sharif’s comments seem to echo earlier sentiments by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who also credited Trump with helping to maintain a ceasefire. But New Delhi, and indeed Washington, appear skeptical. India has been actively working to draw international attention to what it describes as Pakistan’s continued role in supporting terrorism — a key trigger for Operation Sindoor, a recent Indian military campaign to counter cross-border threats.

Interestingly, India’s messaging abroad has grown increasingly assertive. The delegation to the US — one of seven sent globally — is focused not just on defending India’s actions, but on reframing the narrative around Pakistan's victimhood. As Tharoor pointed out, “You can’t breed vipers in your backyard and expect them to bite only your neighbours,” quoting Hillary Clinton’s famous line.

Shehbaz Sharif’s appeal might have been aimed at garnering international sympathy, but the move risks backfiring. With India’s diplomatic corps working in tandem across continents and Pakistan’s credibility on terrorism increasingly questioned, Trump’s alleged role in past diplomacy may no longer carry the weight it once did.

In geopolitics, timing is everything. And with the global mood shifting against state-sponsored extremism, Islamabad’s outreach — however polished — may struggle to resonate in Washington or beyond.

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