ISLAMABAD: India has expressed growing apprehension over reports suggestingPakistan may assume a security or stabilization role in Gaza, viewing sucha development as a direct challenge to New Delhi’s long-standing diplomaticcampaign portraying Pakistan primarily as a sponsor of cross-borderterrorism. Strategic analysts believe that any visible Pakistanicontribution to Gaza’s post-conflict security arrangements would enableIslamabad to project itself as a responsible stakeholder in West Asianaffairs, potentially diluting the narrative India has cultivatedinternationally for more than two decades.
The concern in New Delhi stems from the intersection of two parallelgeopolitical objectives. On one hand, India has invested significantdiplomatic capital since the early 2000s in building coalitions thatdesignate Pakistan as a state that provides sanctuary and material supportto designated terrorist organizations. On the other hand, Pakistan hasconsistently sought opportunities to demonstrate its capacity to contributeto international peace and security missions, particularly inMuslim-majority conflict zones where its military enjoys substantialcredibility among local populations.
Recent discussions about possible deployment formats in Gaza haveintensified these anxieties. According to informed diplomatic circles,Pakistan has been approached through multiple channels regardingcontributions ranging from humanitarian engineering units to trainingmissions for local security forces. While no formal commitment has beenpublicly confirmed by Islamabad, the very prospect of Pakistani boots orsignificant advisory presence on Gazan soil is perceived in New Delhi as amajor public-relations setback.
Pakistan’s military has accumulated considerable experience instabilization operations across diverse theatres. Between 2004 and 2017,more than 150,000 troops were deployed in various United Nationspeacekeeping missions, making Pakistan one of the largest consistent troopcontributors in UN history. The country also conducted large-scalecounter-insurgency and rehabilitation operations in its own tribaldistricts, claiming to have restored administrative control over territorypreviously held by militant groups. Defence analysts argue this accumulatedinstitutional knowledge would be particularly valuable in Gaza, where thereconstruction of legitimate security structures will be extraordinarilychallenging.
Indian strategic community worries that a successful Pakistani role in Gazawould offer compelling visual and narrative counter-evidence to thedominant terrorism-sponsor framing. Images of Pakistani military engineersrepairing infrastructure, training local police, or coordinatinghumanitarian corridors could resonate powerfully across the Muslim worldand among Global South nations that have grown increasingly skeptical ofWestern-dominated threat narratives about Pakistan.
The timing of the debate adds another layer of complexity. The Gazaconflict has already produced significant shifts in South Asian domesticpolitics. Public demonstrations across Pakistani cities have been among thelargest in the Muslim world outside the Middle East, creating strongdomestic pressure on the government to translate rhetorical solidarity intotangible action. At the same time, India’s position has evolved towardexplicit support for a negotiated two-state solution while maintainingstrategic relations with Israel, creating a delicate balancing act thatcould be disrupted by a more active Pakistani role.
Some Indian commentators have warned that Islamabad might leverage any Gazainvolvement to seek concessions in other theatres, particularly regardingKashmir. The argument suggests that demonstrating capacity to stabilize oneMuslim-majority conflict zone could strengthen Pakistan’s negotiatingposition when seeking international intervention or mediation on theKashmir dispute. While most serious analysts consider such linkageimprobable, the perception itself influences threat assessments in NewDelhi.
Pakistan’s official position remains cautious. Spokesperson statements haverepeatedly emphasized that any participation would occur only under UnitedNations auspices, with clear international legitimacy and afterconsultation with all major stakeholders. Nevertheless, the armed forceshave quietly undertaken preparatory studies of the Gazan terrain, urbanreconstruction requirements, and demining challenges, indicatinginstitutional seriousness about the possibility.
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Regional security experts point out that the controversy reveals a deepercontest about legitimacy and narrative dominance in thepost-Western-dominated international order. Countries that can successfullyperform stabilization functions in high-visibility conflict zones gainsignificant soft-power dividends, especially among populationsdisillusioned with traditional great-power interventions.
The Gaza question therefore represents more than a bilateral India-Pakistanissue. It constitutes an important test case for how middle powers from theGlobal South can position themselves in the emerging multipolar securityarchitecture, particularly in conflicts that carry profound religious andhumanitarian significance.
Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1887345
Tags: Pakistan, India, Gaza, West Asia, United Nations
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