by MEHAK NADEEM
Diplomatic momentum builds in Islamabad despite sensationalism and skepticism from Indian media
As the Pakistan-mediated ‘Islamabad Talks’ between the United States and Iran began on Saturday, the world watched closely except for some “evil eyes” across the border still clinging to propaganda over nuance.
Consistent with a long-standing pattern of criticising Pakistan, Indian broadcast media and its hyperventilating anchors attempted to undermine Islamabad’s efforts, and even appeared to cast doubt on the viability of the Islamabad talks. In doing so, they risked further eroding whatever little credibility they had and invited criticism for sensationalism.
This approach aligns with the broader policy stance articulated by Narendra Modi, who, after his first election as India’s prime minister in 2014, stated his intention to make Pakistan a “pariah” globally over its alleged support for terrorism.
Former US diplomat Jeffery Gunter did not hold back when an Indian anchor pressed him on whether US Vice President JD Vance would be safe in Pakistan.
Giving them what can only be described as a televised reality check, Gunter said, “I feel like the schoolteacher about to discipline each and every one of you.”
He did not stop there.
“This is about lives. This is about livelihood. This is about expensive gasoline for everyday Indians, everyday Americans,” he said during a live broadcast on India’s Times Now TV, before calling out the drama unfolding in front of him.
Turning a serious geopolitical moment into a Pakistan versus India shouting match, he added, was “actually quite embarrassing” and “shameful”.
You could almost hear the collective detention bell ring.
Because right now, all eyes are on Pakistan. Some are watching with curiosity, others with cautious hope that maybe, just maybe, peace might actually stand a chance. And yet, there are some “evil eyes” in the room too, two of them very visibly, Israel and India.
Both appear unsettled by the direction things are taking. Israel launched strikes in Lebanon almost immediately after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke of a ceasefire, while across the border, Indian media slipped into overdrive, spinning narratives before facts had time to land.
Prime-time debates on leading Indian news channels, including Aaj Tak, Republic TV, and Times Now, have expressed surprise and concern over Pakistan’s emerging role as a diplomatic bridge between the Middle East and the West, noting that it challenges the long-held perception of Pakistan’s international isolation.
But this ceasefire is beyond this. If the conflict spirals, the fallout will not politely stay confined to one region. It will travel to South Asia, to Europe, and well beyond, bringing energy shocks, rising inflation, disrupted trade, and humanitarian crises, the kind of domino effect no one really signs up for. In moments like this, urgency is expected, not theatre.
Yet instead of restraint, what we saw was performance, where urgency was the need of the hour, but parts of the Indian media chose spectacle instead.
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