US abandons Pak amid war with India; shuts down phone-a-friend bail out option
PTC Web Desk: Amid India’s decisive military campaign dubbed ‘Operation Sindoor’, Pakistan found itself in an unfamiliar position on Friday—devoid of its most dependable external support: the United States.
Historically, Islamabad had relied on Washington’s intervention to escape tough situations, particularly during escalations with India. But this time, the traditional American safety net is missing.
In the past, every time tensions with India escalated, Pakistan sought the US as a mediator or backchannel support. One of the most prominent examples was the 1999 Kargil War. Back then, Pakistani forces had stealthily captured key peaks in Kargil, leading to a sharp response from India. As New Delhi prepared for a larger conventional response—detected even by American satellites tracking Indian military movements—Pakistan’s leadership panicked.
Faced with the possibility of a full-scale Indian retaliation, then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urgently sought an audience with US President Bill Clinton. The result: Pakistan withdrew its forces, restoring the Line of Control and ending the conflict. That episode underscored two critical aspects of Pakistan’s strategic behaviour—its reluctance to engage in conventional warfare with India and its dependence on Washington for diplomatic cover.
But 2025 paints a different picture. Following the Pahalgam Terror Attack and India’s swift and forceful response through Operation Sindoor, the US has taken a clear step back. In a televised interview with Fox News, US Vice President JD Vance made it clear that Washington would not intervene. He stated, “This is fundamentally not our conflict, and it’s not America’s role to control it.”
Former US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, added further clarity. In a strong statement on social media platform X, she voiced unequivocal support for India’s right to self-defense, criticising Pakistan for playing the victim while abetting terrorism.
This current stance is a far cry from Washington’s historical position. During the 1971 Indo-Pak war, the US had dispatched the 7th Fleet, led by the USS Enterprise, to intimidate India. In 2001, after the Indian Parliament attack, American diplomats rushed to prevent war. Even in recent years, the Biden administration had supported Pakistan by upgrading its F-16 fighter jets. But today’s narrative suggests a dramatic pivot in American priorities—placing greater value on its strategic relationship with India.
Meanwhile, Pakistan finds itself increasingly isolated. Support has come only from a handful of countries—China, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. Longtime allies like Saudi Arabia and the UAE have refrained from taking Islamabad’s side, instead backing diplomatic neutrality or even leaning toward India’s counterterrorism stance.
India, for its part, has evolved its strategy since Kargil. The once-defensive posture has been replaced with preemptive and retaliatory doctrines, evident in the 2016 surgical strikes and 2019 Balakot air raids. This assertiveness has minimised India’s reliance on global intervention, allowing it to shape the conflict narrative.
Pakistan, on the other hand, finds itself in a precarious position. Its economic instability, internal unrest in regions like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, and political fragility make sustained conventional warfare an unsustainable option. Still, the absence of US support complicates any attempt to de-escalate with dignity.
Vice President Vance summed it up by saying, “America can’t tell the Indians or the Pakistanis to put down arms. Our only role is diplomatic encouragement to avoid a larger war.”
With traditional lifelines cut off, Pakistan is now caught between escalating the conflict at great cost or seeking a quiet exit—without the diplomatic cushion it once counted on.
- With inputs from agencies
