The unending participation of the big powers in wars is reflected as a luxury that smaller countries can ill afford.

A Courageous Step to End a Painful Conflict
The world in general, the Muslim countries in particular, and the region heaved a sigh of relief at the breaking news of the historic mediating role played by China to bring together Iran and Saudi Arabia in April 2023 to sit together, which led to an agreement to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen both sides' embassies after years of tension and hostility. The United Nations was ‘upbeat’ that the agreement could accelerate efforts to renew the lapsed ceasefire in the Yemen conflict and have raised hopes of a political settlement to end the conflict. China's commendable contribution in bringing two Muslim states–who have for ages laid claim to the leadership in the region, reflected the growing global stature of China–whose contribution to a peaceful world focused on the wellbeing of the people, spread around the continents, was for all to see. A flurry of high-level visits from Iran and Saudi Arabia to China and from China to these countries led to the much-awaited rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran. 
Unfortunately, unity has eluded the Muslim world for many years, and schism is the general rule defining the Muslim polity. The Muslims, in general, and the people and successive governments in Pakistan have expressed anguish at the suffering that the people of Yemen have been facing due to the civil war. Pakistan had made efforts to bring the two states to the table with the then-Prime Ministers in 2016 and 2019. Pakistan's efforts were no doubt sincere, but the fruits of the mediation had to wait for China, the global rising star, to bring it to fruition. One cannot discount that Iran and Saudi Arabia had conducted talks in Oman and five rounds in Iraq in the past two years and were waiting for an opportune time first to set up the 'permanent' houses to continue the negotiation to thrash out all differences, which led to the reopening of diplomatic missions in Riyadh and Tehran. The Chinese mediation is ideally in line with President Xi's Global Security Initiative (GSI), which, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, aims to "eliminate the root causes of international conflicts, improve global security governance, encourage joint international efforts to bring more stability and certainty to a volatile and changing era, and promote durable peace and development in the world." The core concepts of this vision include a commitment to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, taking their legitimate security concerns seriously, and peacefully resolving disputes between countries through dialogue.

A flurry of high-level visits from Iran and Saudi Arabia to China and from China to these countries led to the much-awaited rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

In 2015, reports emanated in the media about certain countries asking Pakistan to commit its troops in Yemen. The then government understood the sensitivity of the issue, which could have negatively impacted the foreign policy of the country, which lays immense emphasis on its strengthening ties with Muslim countries. The constitution of Pakistan lays down guidelines for the conduct of the foreign policy of the country, and Article 40 of the constitution provides that: “The State shall endeavor to preserve and strengthen fraternal relations among Muslim countries based on Islamic unity.” Sensing the public opinion regarding this sensitive foreign policy issue, the then Prime Minister asked the house to guide the government. Subsequently, the government wisely brought the issue on the floor of the parliament to be debated and a decision to be taken. For days, a very productive discussion took place on the war in Yemen, the possible implications of Pakistan's 'boots on the ground,' and the tragedy unfolding in Yemen, the debate in which, across the spectrum, it was called for the country not to become embroiled in what many regard as an overseas civil war.
The Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) of Pakistan, after its Joint Sitting held from April 6-10, 2015, adopted a resolution, which in brief stated that 'Having considered the grave situation in Yemen and its implications for regional and international peace and security called for Pakistan's neutrality to be able to play a proactive diplomatic role in ending the crisis.' The resolution called for continued efforts for a peaceful resolution of the Yemen crisis and for bringing unity of the Muslim ummah in cooperation with the leaders of other Muslim countries. It also expressed serious concern about the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Yemen, its implications for the peace and stability of the region, and supported all humanitarian initiatives aimed at bringing relief to the people caught in the conflict; ‘Calls upon the warring factions in Yemen to resolve their differences peacefully through dialogue.’

The Coal and Steel Community and its successor, the European Union (EU), its modern successor is a product of the ‘post-war’ to flush out all remnants of impoverishment and place uplift of the people on the fast track, as the citizens are the ‘end user’ of prosperity and wellbeing. 

The resolution explicitly stated that by the Principles of Policy set out in Chapter 2 of the Constitution, it is the ‘duty of Pakistan's government to act to strengthen bonds with the Muslim world and promote international peace.’ Article 29 of the Constitution places direct responsibility on each organ and authority of the state of Pakistan and of each person performing functions on behalf of an organ or authority to act by the principles of policy. The resolution stated that Pakistan should mediate, though it promises to "stand shoulder to shoulder" with Saudi Arabia in case of an invasion or any threat to Islam's holiest sites in Mecca and Medina–at present, an unlikely scenario.
The joint session of parliament also reflected: there is no enthusiasm anywhere along the spectrum for sending Pakistani troops to Yemen. During the debate, a sensible approach was seen, which later carried the day inside parliament, reflecting the consensus in rational quarters outside the house that Pakistan should not be drawn into a conflict where it has no discernible interests to protect and where the risks are many. The government also knew from experience that Yemen was a potential quagmire that could rival Afghanistan. The public appears to understand this, as does much of parliament. Thus, wisdom prevailed in the legislature, representing the voice of the people, and a balance was struck in the interdependence of legislature, foreign policy, and public opinion and that the resolution shall be a ‘beacon light’ for any such challenge the country and the government may face in the future in the context of foreign policy.  
Invasions: Faulty Decisions, Costly Consequences, and Rare Wisdom
The Second World War is etched in the minds of the generation which lived through it and the successor generations of the ‘invasion’ of Europe and South East Asia by the mighty forces of the United States, the Soviet Union, and Great Britain, to roll back and eliminate the last vestiges of fascism, for which history pays glowing tributes to the courageous soldiers and their equally remarkable generals and political leaders. The Western leaders took the lead in hammering in the minds of their people that now the swords shall be converted into plowshares and that prosperity will rise from the embers of destruction that Europe saw itself in the mirror. The Coal and Steel Community and its successor, the European Union (EU), its modern successor is a product of the ‘post-war’ to flush out all remnants of impoverishment and place uplift of the people on the fast track, as the citizens are the ‘end user’ of prosperity and wellbeing. 

In the din of the wars and conflicts, ‘climate change forces’ have quietly invaded the globe with disastrous consequences. It is a wake-up call for the globe and lets the present generation around the globe see the wars only in the museums and not in their lives.

Unfortunately, the ideological chasm between the U.S. and the USSR, the two superpowers that rose from the ashes of the last war, was vast and egoistic to find common ground for any understanding. The result was that Asia became the new battleground or the laboratory to test their newfound strength, resulting in the invasions by the two superpowers in Korea, Vietnam, parts of Africa and Latin America, and lately, Afghanistan. The clashes between the two military giants left in their wake physical destruction,  loss of innocent human lives, and those who survived the invasion, faced displacement, and the resultant trauma, which they shall live with throughout their lives. As the U.S. forces withdrew from a costly war in Afghanistan, and just as the people around the globe heaved a sigh of relief, news started flashing of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Not surprisingly, the reaction of the U.S. and its Western allies funneled arms and ammunition to Ukraine with no end in sight and the Ukrainian population displaced in the neighboring countries. In this war, were the legislatures and the people of Russia appraised of the consequences of this tragedy or efforts to pour water to end the fire? The answer is a big no! The United Nations, which should have been at the forefront to douse the fire, not surprisingly, is a bystander to the continuous destruction. Regarding the U.S., Andrew Bacevich, a leading American historian, cites the known U.S. diplomat, George Kenan: “Washington needs to avoid needless wars, fulfill the promises in the country's founding documents and provide ordinary citizens with the prospect of a decent life.” Bacevich considers that a good beginning can be to “reconfigure the U.S. military into a force designed to protect the American people rather than to serve as an instrument of global power projection.”
The unending participation of the big powers in wars is reflected as a luxury that smaller countries can ill afford. The 'abhorrence' of the luxury factor and the consequences of ignoring the domestic backlash, which included the representatives of the people, were factors that the Government of Pakistan took into account to avoid the Yemen quagmire. In the din of the wars and conflicts, ‘climate change forces’ have quietly invaded the globe with disastrous consequences. It is a wake-up call for the globe and lets the present generation around the globe see the wars only in the museums and not in their lives. The Almighty has bestowed upon all the leaders worldwide the responsibility to protect the people and improve their lives, as destruction is abhorred.  

The writer holds a Master's in Political Science (Punjab University) and a Master's in Diplomatic Studies (UK). He has served in various capacities in Pakistan's missions abroad and as an Ambassador to Vietnam and High Commissioner to Malaysia. He is on the visiting faculty of four mainstream public universities in Islamabad and is an Adviser to the India Centre at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad. 
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