Democracy summit.

THE second US-sponsored Summit for Democracy, which is currently underway, offers a small glimpse of the tough choices countries will have to make as America and the West step up their geopolitical confrontation against China, Russia and their allies. Though Pakistan was invited to the event, the country politely declined to attend, with the Foreign Office saying it would engage with the US bilaterally to discuss democratic values. It is largely assumed that Islamabad made the decision not to anger China and Turkiye, as neither state was invited to the conclave by Washington. Pakistan also did not attend the first edition of the event in 2021, when the PTI administration said it would engage with the US on democratic issues at an 'opportune time'. China had hailed Pakistan's earlier decision.

It is quite apparent that the event was organised less out of love for democracy, and more to make America's geopolitical rivals look bad. It is puzzling why Turkiye was left out. While the country may have internal political issues, it is not for the US to anoint...