Hobson's choice.

Diplomacy at times comes with high-stakes. So is the case with the United States-sponsored 'Democracy Summit', which unintentionally divides the globe into camp politics. The virtual summit has gained much attraction as it deals with a pivotal issue of state-centric governance, and Pakistan this time too is in a fix whether to participate in it or not. What makes the decision so critical is that it comes with the assumption whether it is a snub to China or not. This is where Islamabad has to make a fair and credible choice. The previous summit held in 2021 was passed on by Pakistan, as it had nursed a number of differences with the Biden administration, and it was thought appropriate to play the China card and stay away. But this time around it is a catch-22 situation, as Pakistan is not in a position to offend China with which it enjoys a lifeline of economy and, likewise, the US that has the nod to prevail over international lenders as the country sits at the brink of a financial default.

The virtual summit co-sponsored by the US Department of State and USAID will see more than 100 nation-states...