By Dr. Zeeshan Bin Ishtiaque
Just over a week ago, I wrote an article that appeared in these pages on May 7 – the same day India launched an unprovoked and reckless attack on Pakistan. That piece urged the international community to act decisively in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam incident, warning that the subcontinent was teetering on the edge of disaster.
In the days that followed, Pakistan bore the brunt of civilian-targeted aggression, yet responded with remarkable restraint and clarity. It was Pakistan’s credible and calculated response that helped the world capitals realize the immediate need of a ceasefire and they swung into action to broker one.
This ceasefire was not born of concession, but conviction. Pakistan has earned this moment through operational maturity, demonstrating strategic competence and a firm grasp of modern warfare. Still, let us be clear. A ceasefire is not peace.
The cycle of provocation and retaliation between India and Pakistan has played out many times before. What is alarming is how normalized these escalations have become. India’s response after the Pahalgam attack – shutting down the Attari-Wagah border, halting the Indus Waters Treaty, and expelling Pakistani diplomats – was a sweeping and disproportionate overreaction, more theatrical than tactical.
While India has legitimate security concerns, its moves often seem aimed at inflaming nationalism rather than solving problems. Domestically, it continues to grapple with persistent challenges: serious political unrest and ethnic violence in many states, contentious borders with Nepal and Bhutan, strained relations with Bangladesh, and vast economic inequality. A booming GDP masks the reality that over 234 million Indians still live below the poverty line, according to the United Nations.
The recent ceasefire may have broken the momentum of this crisis – but interruption is not resolution. Without structured follow-up, the next flashpoint may come sooner and prove far deadlier.
As a healthcare leader, I am compelled to highlight the quiet devastation that armed conflicts cause beyond the battlefield. Even this short-lived escalation strained cross-border medical services, disrupted public health systems, and inflicted psychological trauma on communities already living under stress.
Every border skirmish worsens an already precarious public health landscape. South Asia battles water-borne diseases, malnutrition, seasonal outbreaks, and climate-sensitive illnesses. Continued instability undermines efforts to combat these challenges and drains already limited resources. In such an environment, peace is more than a geopolitical objective – it is a public health imperative.
With the guns temporarily silent, now is the time for the world to act. This action must go beyond applauding the ceasefire to ensuring the ceasefire leads to something more durable. This moment must not be wasted on vague appeals for “restraint.” Instead, tangible steps are required, such as the immediate restoration and safeguarding of Pakistan’s rights under the Indus Waters Treaty, credible international facilitation to restart dialogue on the Jammu & Kashmir dispute, a transparent third-party investigation into the Pahalgam attack, and accountability for cross-border violations, particularly those impacting civilians. Without this, the current pause will only serve as a prelude to future peril.
India and Pakistan stand at a defining juncture. For New Delhi, regional leadership cannot be achieved through coercion and unilateralism. For Islamabad, military readiness must now be matched by proactive diplomacy.
The world, especially influential actors like the United States, China, the Gulf states, and the United Nations, must move beyond reactive statements. They must exert diplomatic and economic leverage to push for long-term solutions – because this is not just about South Asia. With two nuclear-armed states at odds, the risks are global.
This ceasefire is not the end of a crisis. It is the start of a rare opportunity. It must not be squandered.
The drums of war have quieted – for now. Whether they return depends not just on what India and Pakistan do, but on whether the world finally chooses to do more than watch from the sidelines.
–The writer is the Chief Executive Officer of Shifa International Hospitals, Limited and a commentator on international relations
