Of peace and 'pieces' - the greater game plan.

Byline: Ahsan Nisar

"The nation that will insist upon drawing a broad line of demarcation between the fighting man and the thinking man is likely to find its fighting done by fools and its thinking by cowards" (William Francis Butler)

Pakistan is facing a complex multi-dimensional situation with multiple possibilities after its stand-off with India. Only few weeks earlier, Pakistan was intensely engaged in the Taliban-US negotiations with the Saudi Arabia in the backdrop. Then, the twin suicide attacks, one in Sistan, Iran and the other in Pulwama, India-held Kashmir, left Pakistan in a diplomatically vulnerable position. A closer analysis will reveal whether these events were part of a greater plan or did they form a pattern leading to a shift in the regional politics.

India is strengthening its relationship with Israel and the USA on many issues, including defense, terrorism, and perhaps against the Pakistan-China-Russia alignment. According to an article by Robert Fisk in The Independent UK, Israel is playing a big role in India's escalating conflict with Pakistan. However, the attack has certainly brought Iran and India closer on the diplomatic end, if not defense and terrorism. Iran, which is on the other end of the spectrum, has had strained relations with the USA and none with the Israel, but with this incident Iran has been drawn closer to India on the issue of terrorism. Iran and India are also not happy with the Saudi Arabian visit or Saudi investment in CPEC. The reason for India and Iran not liking the above to happen may be different, but Pakistan, Gwadar, CPEC, Saudi Arabia, has given India and Iran reasons to come closer while the suicide attacks provided the missing motivation.

The global strategic lines for the 21st century are being drawn. The 'blocks' proposed by Samuel Huntington in Clash of Civilizations have started to form with India, Iran, Afghanistan and the US on one side and Pakistan, Turkey, Russia and China on the other. In a regional sense, complex politico-economic interests are also remerging. China has condemned the terror attacks and does not approve of extremist elements destabilizing the region, CPEC, BRI or any of its other strategic plans. So...