Jun 29, Kathmandu - Pakistan's military finds itself in a geopolitical bind amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, publicly aligning itself with Iran and even hinting at nuclear retaliation against Israel while at the same time siding with the US military in the campaign against Iranian nuclear assets.

This distorted stance reinforces a decades-long pattern. Pakistan’s “deep state” and its military-intelligence establishment have repeatedly sold out the country’s sovereignty to the patrons who best benefit it. The result? Stunned development and persistent underachievement.

Last week, Iran’s IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei claimed on state television that “Pakistan has told us that if Israel uses nuclear missiles, we will strike back with nuclear weapons.” Pakistan has not publicly confirmed or denied the claim. Yet within days, its foreign ministry condemned the US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites – Fordow, Natanz, Isfahan. It called them “deeply concerning” and signaled a potential regional escalation.

The condemnation comes after Pakistan endorsed President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to ease tensions with India. In the span of barely 48 hours, Islamabad praised Trump for stabilizing South Asia and then condemned his bombshell.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was in Washington for a White House luncheon where Trump publicly praised Pakistani restraint after the Indo-Pakistan missile strike in May. Islamabad’s embrace of Pakistani nuclear diplomacy while supporting attacks that whitewash the differences speaks volumes about the transactional nature of this partnership.