SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
Pakistan has had a major diplomatic rise over the past few weeks, transitioning from back-channel go-between to a key mediator trying to broker lasting peace between Iran and the United States. As Betsy Joles reports from Islamabad, Pakistanis are embracing this moment with a mixture of humor, pride and skepticism about whether it will lead to any meaningful changes at home.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED MUSICAL ARTIST: (Singing in non-English language).
BETSY JOLES: When Pakistan's leaders were credited by the U.S. and Iran for helping broker a two-week ceasefire earlier this month, Pakistanis took to the internet with triumphant humor. They posted videos of themselves on social media walking through airports and other public spaces, flashing their Pakistani passports. The subtext is clear. That dark green Pakistani passport, usually one of the weakest in the world, suddenly had some value, and this was one of the few moments people had to show it off, even if in jest, to lighten up an otherwise dark few weeks of war.
Pakistan's efforts to help end this war have put the country under the spotlight in a big way. The country's capital, Islamabad, which is preparing to host another possible round of talks this week, has become a focal point. At one of the city's busy lunch spots, 31-year-old Nazish Yasir says her country's attempts at peacemaking are worth celebrating.
NAZISH YASIR: I'm proud of my Pakistan.
JOLES: Nearby, Nasir Butt serves food and tea to diners clustered outside. He overhears a group discussing global politics and chimes in to emphasize one thing he hopes to come from recent events - izzat. It means respect.
NASIR BUTT: (Speaking Urdu).
JOLES: "God willing," he says, "when Pakistanis travel abroad, they're going to be treated with respect. We want to be respected." In Pakistan these days, people are reacting to more than just the current diplomatic moment, says Nida Kirmani, associate professor of sociology at the Lahore University of Management Sciences.
NIDA KIRMANI: There's kind of a feeling of validation because of Pakistan's kind of fraught history and international reputations.
JOLES: This validation comes at a time when many feel disillusioned with the country's economic condition and their government, which has taken an increasingly hard-line stance on issues from immigration to militancy and political dissent, especially since popular leader Imran Khan was arrested on corruption charges and imprisoned in 2023.
KIRMANI: In terms of relationship to state power, that sense of distance, I think, has been growing across the country.
JOLES: Michael Kugelman, senior fellow for South Asia at the Atlantic Council, says this has fueled public anger that Pakistan's leaders have at times struggled to manage. Pakistan clearly wants the war to end for economic and security reasons, but Kugelman says its government is also aware of other potential advantages that can be gained from enhanced diplomatic relevance.
MICHAEL KUGELMAN: I think there's also a view that, you know, the more you play this role, the more you project yourself and play the role of peacemaker, the less likely it is that you're going to get pushback or pressure for your domestic policies.
JOLES: Twenty-two-year-old Shiraz Amjad remains skeptical about prospects for change. He came to Islamabad from another city to apply for a work permit to move to Greece. Like a lot of young people here, he's looking for a way out.
SHIRAZ AMJAD: (Speaking Urdu).
JOLES: "It would take five years to achieve things abroad that in Pakistan would take 10 to 15 years," he says. Standing outside a shopping mall in the city center, driver Shah Faisal Khan says it's everyday tasks in Pakistan that fuel frustration.
SHAH FAISAL KHAN: There are a lot of things which should be discussed in this country, but that is another story.
JOLES: For now, he's happy to see his country working to forge peace. For NPR News, I'm Betsy Joles in Islamabad. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.