FOR the first time in decades, Pakistan stands tall on the global stage, not only as a victor in a military sense, but as a dignified and responsible actor in regional and global affairs. This is the biggest success Pakistan has achieved in the recent brief but decisive war with India. Unlike previous battles, this is not a victory proclaimed solely by Pakistan’s own narrative. It has been affirmed by Indian analysts, Western media and global leaders. It is India that has been trying to sell its narrative both internally and externally.

The superiority of Pakistan’s kinetic response was overwhelming not only in tactical execution, but also in strategic restraint. Pakistan’s dignified response has elevated the nation’s image globally. The decisive victory has not secured territorial integrity alone; it has repaired reputation, reversed perceptions, and rekindled pride.

With its illusions shattered, India finds itself increasingly isolated. Once hailed as a strategic ally by the West, especially the United States and European powers, India is now being quietly kept at a distance. No longer the ‘rising’ tiger of Asia, India is now a country whose recklessness threatens regional stability. The ship of Indian ambition appears to be sinking for now. For the first time in modern history, American leaders, including President Donald Trump, acknowledged Pakistan’s significance in shaping South Asia’s future. In global diplomatic circles, Pakistan has become a priority partner. This shift has been earned by the way Pakistan handled victory. No chest-thumping, no jingoism. Just quiet, composed strength.

The conduct of Pakistan’s high-level diplomatic delegation visiting Western powerhouses, led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, has added to the country’s stature, projecting a coherent and confident message without adopting at all a confrontational tone.

What makes this chapter in Pakistan’s history remarkable is not just the military victory. The key elements have been the humility of the winner, the dignified assertion, and the ability to convert a military success into diplomatic capital. Pakistan’s leadership is now being heard in Western capitals not as a crisis nation, but as a nation with solutions.

And it all began with a war that Pakistan neither sought nor celebrated with arrogance. Victory was accepted with grace, and defeat was handed without mockery. In a matter of days, the regional and global perception of power shifted. Pakistan, once seen as fragile, is now viewed as strategic, stable and mature. India, once seen as the rising giant, now appears unsteady, aggressive and cornered.

This is the power of responsible leader-ship. This is what victory can bring — a seat at the table, a voice in global forums, and, most of all, respect in the eyes of allies and rivals alike.

Pakistan has been humbled by victory, and, through this humility, it has won something far greater than a battlefield: diplomatic dignity. Meanwhile, India, abandoned by its allies and exposed by its own arrogance, is learning the hard lesson that power without wisdom leads not to greatness, but only to isolation.

Qamar Bashir
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2025