The two-week ceasefire announced in the West Asia conflict between the United States-Israel alliance and Iran has brought a momentary pause to one of the most dangerous military escalations the region has seen in decades. The conflict, which erupted on 28 February 2026 has not only reshaped the geopolitical landscape of West Asia but has also ignited a fierce political storm back home in India.
At the centre of it all is Pakistan’s claimed role as a mediator in facilitating the ceasefire. Initially Pakistan projected itself as a key diplomatic broker, Iran swiftly rejected this framing, refusing to engage with US officials on Pakistani soil and denouncing Islamabad as a ‘betrayer.’ Things kept moving forward and backward and then following US President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend the ongoing “bombing and attack” campaign on Iran, a two-week bilateral ceasefire was announced after Washington accepted a 10-point proposal put forward by Tehran. The Iranian leadership subsequently agreed to the ceasefire framework, including provisions for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and a temporary halt to military operations.
Reacting to the development, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the ceasefire and extended an invitation for further talks in Islamabad on April 10, aimed at negotiating a long-term settlement.
This narrative of Pakistani mediation was enough to send India’s opposition into a frenzy of criticism against the Modi government’s foreign policy. Those mocking India included DMK MP Salma, alleged journalist Rana Ayyub, and critical of Vishwaguru – the Congress’ Jairam Ramesh.
DMK Rajya Sabha MP & Spokesperson Salma
In a now-deleted post, DMK Rajya Sabha MP Salma mocked India over ‘Vishwaguru’ stance.
She had written on her X handle, “The war has stopped due to Pakistan’s intervention. What a shame! How are you, the Sanghis, going to digest this?”
திமுக எம்பி சல்மா வெளியிட்ட எக்ஸ் பதிவால் சர்ச்சை#DMK | #RajyaSabhaMP | #Salma | #PolimerNews pic.twitter.com/vspslxrDSR
— Polimer News (@polimernews) April 8, 2026
Following public backlash, Salma deleted the post.
Congress Spokesperson Jairam Ramesh
Simping for Pakistan is nothing new for the Congress. In a post on X, Jairam Ramesh wrote, “The entire world will cautiously welcome the two-week ceasefire in the West Asia conflict between the US and Israel on the one side and Iran on the other. The conflict had begun on Feb 28th with the targeted assassinations of the topmost echelons of the regime in Iran. These had started just two days after Prime Minister Modi had completed his much-trumpeted visit to Israel, a visit that diminished India’s global stature and standing. Mr. Modi had said nothing about Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its aggressively expansionist policies in the occupied West Bank. The role played by Pakistan in bringing about the ceasefire is a severe setback to both the substance and style of Mr. Modi’s highly personalised diplomacy. The policy to isolate Pakistan for its continuing support to terrorism in J&K and to convince the world that it is a failed state has clearly not succeeded – unlike what Dr. Manmohan Singh had accomplished after the Mumbai terror attacks. That a bankrupt economy dependent entirely on the largesse of external donors and a broken country in so many ways was able to play such a role calls into question Mr. Modi’s strategy of engagement and narrative management. He or his team has also never explained why Op Sindoor was suddenly and abruptly halted on May 10th 2025 – the first announcement of which came from the US Secretary of State and for which the US President has claimed credit almost a hundred times since then. There is a palpable sigh of relief everywhere. The External Affairs Minister dismissed Pakistan as a dalal. But now the self-styled Vishwaguru stands thoroughly exposed, his self-declared 56-inch chest shrunk and shrivelled. His cowardice is demonstrated by his silence not only on Israel’s belligerence, but on the completely unacceptable and disgraceful language being used by his good friend in the White House.”
The entire world will cautiously welcome the two-week ceasefire in the West Asia conflict between the US and Israel on the one side and Iran on the other.
The conflict had begun on Feb 28th with the targeted assassinations of the topmost echelons of the regime in Iran. These…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) April 8, 2026
Alleged Journalist Rana Ayyub
Alleged journalist Rana Ayyub was among the first people to hail Pakistan’s alleged role in the ‘mediation’ and subsequent ceasefire. Taking to her X handle, she wrote multiple posts.
First, she quoted Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s post and wrote, “Iran and Trump lauding the efforts of Pakistan. We are happy with vishwaguru grandstanding in propaganda films.”
In a subsequent post she wrote, “The world is lauding Pakistan for mediating a ceasefire through a war that could have unleashed the worst kind of catastrophe. Trump who spoke the language of ending the Iranian civilisation till last night is now speaking the language of peace. It is a sobering moment for India that now needs to really work on its foreign policy and instead of pleasing domestic actors needs to think of long term goals and not grandstanding in elections. Propaganda films might win us elections but not elevate our status as vishwaguru in world politics.”
The ceasefire in West Asia may have brought a temporary pause to the guns, but it seems to have activated the noise from Pakistani simps in India. That opposition figures rushed to amplify Pakistan’s alleged role reveals less about Modi’s foreign policy and more about a reflexive instinct to weaponise any global development for domestic point-scoring. These people are celebrating a narrative that flatters Pakistan at India’s expense, regardless of whether that narrative holds up to scrutiny.
Salma’s quiet deletion of her post suggests even she recognised the overreach. The irony is that the opposition’s eagerness to mock the “Vishwaguru” label has led them to do precisely what they accuse Modi of prioritising optics over accuracy. Pakistan’s role in the ceasefire remains disputed by the very party it claims to have helped. That inconvenient fact found no place in the rush to score points. In politics, as in war, the first casualty is always the truth.
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