Pakistan’s Leaders Try to Contain Rising Anger Over Iran War at Home
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- Pakistan has taken a central role as mediator between the United States and Iran in efforts to end the ongoing war, with its army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, acting as the main interlocutor.
- On March 18, Munir met with leading Shiite clerics in Pakistan to address unrest triggered by the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, aiming to prevent violence from spreading within Pakistan.
- The army chief warned that violence linked to foreign incidents would not be tolerated, which some clerics found tense or felt questioned their loyalty, though others credited him for seeking to restore order.
- Despite Pakistan’s diplomatic praise from international leaders, the Shiite minority in Pakistan, numbering around 35 million, feels increased grievance amid fears of sectarian violence reigniting.
- The Iran conflict has become a major domestic concern in Pakistan, alongside economic issues like fuel prices and electricity outages, raising worries about the impact on Pakistan’s image as a regional peacemaker.
