Pakistan after Islamabad collapse: It played the broker —  now comes the hard part

Following the dramatic collapse of the 21-hour marathon talks between the United States and Iran, Pakistan finds itself in the difficult position of a stage manager whose theater remained standing, but whose actors refused to sign the script.

While the April 12 negotiations ended without a formal agreement on uranium enrichment or maritime security, Islamabad has successfully cashed in on a rare "visibility dividend." By brokering the April 8 ceasefire and hosting Vice President JD Vance’s delegation, a country typically synonymous with economic distress and internal upheaval has repositioned itself as a regional peacemaker.

However, the diplomatic capital earned last weekend is already under threat as the April 21 ceasefire deadline approaches.

Sharif’s high-stakes tour

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday, kicking off a critical West Asia tour that includes stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Türkiye. The mission is clear: solidify a regional coalition to prevent a "hard collapse" of the truce and ensure a second round of talks returns to the Pakistani capital.

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"By providing a platform for such a critical dialogue, Pakistan has reaffirmed its position as a responsible and pivotal state," President Asif Zardari stated on Tuesday, briefing the press on the mediation efforts.

Sharif’s meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected to focus on the "minimum viable deal" currently being floated by mediators, a stop-gap enrichment freeze and expanded IAEA monitoring designed to buy another 60 days of peace.

The competition for the chair

The risks for Islamabad are mounting. While Pakistan provided the "geographic convenience" for the first encounter, other regional heavyweights are circling. Türkiye, Egypt, and Oman are all working behind the scenes to bridge the gaps, raising the possibility that a second round of negotiations—and the eventual credit for a deal—could be moved to Ankara or Muscat.

"Pakistan’s engagement with the Middle East goes back decades," noted Dr Mansur Khan, a prominent South Asian geopolitical analyst, a panel discussion on PTV World. "But there is a fear that Islamabad could be credited for the venue but sidelined in the actual deal-making if they cannot secure an affirmative commitment from Tehran this week," he added.

Breakthrough or one-time convenience?

For the Pakistani leadership, the next 144 hours are a test of durability. If Sharif can return from Riyadh with Saudi backing for a "Phase Two" in Islamabad, it would signal a foundational shift in Pakistan’s diplomatic standing.

If the talks migrate elsewhere, the Islamabad summit may be remembered as a historic but fleeting moment of relevance, a host whose script failed, leaving the final act to be written by others. For now, as the clock ticks toward April 21, the world is watching to see if the "broker" can turn a temporary truce into a permanent seat at the table.