Pakistan's coldness to Iran shows idea of Ummah is poetic illusion

There is a possibility that Asim Munir will do what Pakistan has often done in such moments—remain silent, walking the tightrope between pragmatism and posturing, quietly leaving behind the cause of the Ummah and the idea of Islamic brotherhood. Because let's be honest, the same country that loudly invokes Muslim unity on Kashmir or Palestine suddenly goes quiet when it comes to Iran or Uyghur Muslims in China. When realpolitik knocks, slogans about Ummah often step aside.
For a country that never misses a chance to claim it's the guardian of the Ummah (global Muslim community), Pakistan's silence right now is deafening. As Israel pounds Iran, where is the self-declared sword of Islamic brotherhood? Their army chief is on a five-day charm offensive in Washington — shaking hands, posing for cameras, sharing polite smiles with the same superpower arming Israel to the teeth. Maybe even betraying the Ummah by quietly playing a crucial role for the Israel-West alliance.
Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff and effectively the most powerful man in the country, is currently on a five-day official visit to the United States. The visit aims to strengthen military and strategic ties between Islamabad and Washington. But let's not kid ourselves—timing is everything. With tensions flaring in the Middle East, particularly between Iran and Israel, speculation is running wild. Is Pakistan's de facto ruler visiting Washington just to exchange handshakes and sound bites, or is something bigger at play ? Is he there to pick a side? Speaking to reporters after a high-level interaction, US President Donald Trump didn't leave much to the imagination either. 'We spoke about the Iran-Israel issue. Pakistan understands Iran better than us — they're a key player in regional peace,' he said . And just like that, Pakistan's position is no longer neutral geography.
What about Ummah?
During the recent India-Pakistan conflict, Turkey sided with Pakistan, Iran offered to mediate, while Saudi Arabia sent its Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Adel Al-Jubeir, to both Islamabad and New Delhi. Iran, in fact, was the first country to recognise Pakistan after its creation. And when Pakistan conducted its underground nuclear tests in 1998 and faced immediate Western sanctions, it didn't stand alone. The response from the Islamic world was swift and clear. Within days, envoys from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Qatar — even Iran — landed in Islamabad to offer not just words, but real support, economic and moral. All in the name of shared faith and the pride of a Muslim nation asserting its sovereignty.
But now, as Iran faces attacks and uncertainty, Pakistan's stance feels unusually cold. Pakistani officials quickly clarified that they never promised nuclear support to Iran. It has sealed its borders with Iran indefinitely and shut its airspace.
So naturally, questions will be raised. What is left of the idea of Muslim unity worldwide? All the talk of Ummah – was it just a sermon for Friday prayers and headlines? All that chest-thumping about Islamic unity — does it dissolve every time there's a price to pay, and only valid when Pakistan is the one asking for support?
Also read: Asim Munir is the first Punjabi general to attack India. It's sociologically important
Pakistan's game plan
Anyone with even the slightest grasp of geopolitics can see through the game. Pakistan's elite have long used Islam and the idea of Ummah not as a sacred bond, but as a convenient tool — to serve their own interests, to freeload off the goodwill of Muslim nations, to gather diplomatic sympathy when needed and at the same time, to fuel radicalisation that ruins innocent lives across borders. The irony reaches a whole new level when they try to pose as the voice of Indian Muslims — invoking shared faith as if it's a political strategy, not a matter of conscience. This is not solidarity; it is opportunism wrapped in religious rhetoric.
The truth is, Pakistan couldn't even accept the Muslims who migrated there and chose it as their homeland. To this day, they are called 'Muhajir (outsiders)' in a country they helped build. And while the vast majority of Indian Muslims have rejected Pakistan's interference—including conservative leaders like Asaduddin Owaisi—there are still some who, in the name of Ummah, hold on to the illusion.
They need to open their eyes to the hypocrisy. The idea of Ummah may sound poetic, but reality is far more grounded. Nations are defined by borders, by policies, by sovereignty. Your future lies with the country you belong to, not with some imagined brotherhood across the border. No fantasy of religious unity can protect you from geopolitical truth. The sooner that's accepted, the better it is for everyone.
Amana Begam Ansari is a columnist, writer, and TV news panellist. She runs a weekly YouTube show called 'India This Week by Amana and Khalid'. She tweets @Amana_Ansari. Views are personal.
(Edited by Zoya Bhatti)

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Hindustan Times

28 minutes ago

• Hindustan Times

Prohibitory orders over communal tension in Paonta villages extended till June 26

Prohibitory orders imposed in the villages of Paonta Sahib area of Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district due to apprehensions of a communal flare-up has been extended till June 26, officials said on Friday. Two groups had clashed on June 13 over elopement of a Hindu-Muslim couple. Due to 'prevailing communal tension and volatile law and order situation' prohibitory orders already in force since June 13 in five villages -- Kiratpur, Malion, Fatehpur, Missarwala and Majra -- under the Majra police station in Poanta subdivision, has been extended till June 26 by district magistrate (DM) Priyanka Verma, an order issued on Thursday night said. According to the order issued under Section 163 of Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, there will be a complete ban on the assembly of five or more persons, carrying lethal weapons, public rally, procession or hunger strike, carrying any kind of inflammable material, pelting stones or any objectionable material in public places and delivering inflammatory speeches or communal or anti-state speeches within the boundaries of these villages. The DM said that she has received a report from district police chief Nishchint Singh Negi that despite earlier preventive measures, the law and order situation remains volatile due to communal tensions, including recent incidents of arrest and inflammatory public speeches by the political leaders in the vicinity. On June 13, prohibitory orders were imposed till June 19 after an incident of maintain law and order, police resorted to lathicharge and more than ten people, including police and women, were injured. Four people have been arrested in connection with the case so far, while the BJP state chief Rajiv Bindal and BJP MLA from Poanta, Sukhram Chaudhary have been booked for attempted murder. They have secured interim relief.

Time of India

37 minutes ago

• Time of India

Iran Urges India To Condemn Israel Attack, Hopes Pakistan Won't Side With US In Gaza Conflict

/ Jun 20, 2025, 05:37PM IST Iranian Deputy Chief of Mission in India, Mohammad Javad Hosseini, has called upon India to openly condemn Israel over its military actions in Gaza. Labeling India the "voice of the Global South," Hosseini said countries that support peace must coordinate to pressure Israel and halt the aggression. 'They must first condemn Israel,' he insisted. When asked about reports of Pakistan potentially aiding US interests in the region following its Army Chief's recent US visit, Hosseini added, 'I hope Pakistan will not go for that one and will stand with Iran against Israeli aggression.' The statement signals mounting unease in West Asia as the Israel-Gaza conflict continues to spiral, drawing in global powers and regional rivals. Will India take a stand? And where does Pakistan really stand in this geopolitical tug-of-war?#iranindiastatement #israelgazawar #pakistanusnexus #indiaglobalsouth #iranpakistanalliance #middleeastcrisis #iranisraelconflict #modigazaposition #indiairanrelations #iranuspakistan #toi #toibharat #bharat #breakingnews #indianews

India.com

40 minutes ago

• India.com

Iran-Israel war: Can US' GBU-57 bunker buster destroy Iran's underground Fordow nuclear site? Experts make stunning claim, say Trump is unsure of...

Trump is unsure whether the GBU-57 bunker buster can take out Iran's Fordow nuclear site. (File) Iran-Israel war: US President Donald Trump has threatened to join its ally Israel in its war against Iran, demanding an 'unconditional surrender' from Tehran, and even threatening to assassinate Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. However, beyond the war rhetoric, Trump remains undecided on whether to commit the United States to a war in the Middle East which it may not be able to pull out of for at least 5-10 years, especially since the US President remains skeptical about whether its lethal bunker buster bombs have the capability to destroy Iran's underground Fordow nuclear facility. Trump unsure about bunker buster's ability to destroy Fordow site According to defense experts, Donald Trump is unsure whether even the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster, aka the 'mother of all bombs', would be able to destroy the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, which is basically buried beneath a gigantic mountain, and is protected by multiple units of Russian-made S-300 air defense systems. As per media reports, Trump has told defense officials that the US would be justified in attacking Iran only if the bunker buster bomb is guaranteed to destroy the uranium enrichment facility at Fordow. The US President was told that the gargantuan 30,000lbs (13.6 tonne) GBU-57 bunker buster would destroy the Fordow facility, but Trump remains unconvinced, and as such has not yet given the green light for America to join the Israel-Iran war. Additionally, experts believe that Trump is also looking at the possibility of Iran coming to the table for a 'deal' due to fear of US involvement in the Iran-Israel war. US would need tactical nukes to take out Fordow? The GBU-57, aka the bunker buster bomb, is a 30,000 pound bomb which is dropped using the US' B2 stealth bombers, and while its capable of taking out any other hardened underground facility, the Fordow site is unique as it has been specially built to withstand US' capabilities, particularly its ultra-heavy bunker buster bombs. The Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant is a hardened, ultra-secure nuclear facility built deep beneath a mountain, and surrounded by tall peaks on all sides. The mountainous terrain renders even the most advanced cruise missiles ineffective, and the site is protected by a large number of air defense systems concentrated in a small region, making it almost impossible for any missile or drone to go through. US defense officials believe that only a tactical nuclear weapon would be able to completely destroy the Fordow nuclear facility, but Trump is not in favor of using nukes to attack the site. Quoting people familiar with the matter, The Guardian reported that Israeli intelligence estimates that the Fordow nuclear plant, which is built under a mountain near the Qom city, could be up to 90 meters deep. To reach such a depth, the US would have to have to weaken the ground with conventional bombs and then drop a tactical nuclear bomb from a B2 bomber to wipe out the entire facility. However, Donald Trump, at least for now, is not in favor of using the nuclear option, the report said.