Najam Sethi’s Revelations Expose Pakistan’s Secret Pleas to Trump During Military Standoff with India
In a striking admission that undercuts Islamabad’s self-proclaimed narrative of “victory” over India, senior Pakistani journalist Najam Sethi has publicly revealed that it was Pakistan—not India—that repeatedly pressed the Donald Trump administration in Washington to broker a ceasefire during the recent four-day military confrontation in May.
Sethi, widely regarded as close to Pakistan’s political–military establishment, disclosed a television program, acknowledging that Islamabad undertook sustained lobbying efforts to secure US intervention while simultaneously projecting a hardline, defiant posture domestically.
Sethi’s Admission
“We have been thanking Trump (for the ceasefire). We thanked him back then, too, for this initiative (ceasefire). India didn’t do the same … Trump kept on saying that he brokered a ceasefire. But Modi rejected this claim and said that it was the DGMOs who got it done,” Sethi said on air.
He added that Islamabad deliberately kept channels open with the US President: It was always an attempt from our end to keep a relationship going with Trump. And we have been successful. We tried from all ends … a lot of lobbying companies were operating. It was a concerted effort.”
The Duplicity Exposed
The journalist’s remarks reveal a glaring disconnect between Pakistan’s public narrative and its backchannel manoeuvres. While state-controlled messaging celebrated a supposed “victory” against India, the reality, as acknowledged by Sethi, was that Islamabad urgently sought American mediation to de-escalate hostilities.
By contrast, India consistently asserted that its military actions were defensive responses to Pakistan’s aggression and that the ceasefire was achieved bilaterally between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs), without third-party involvement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself categorically denied Trump’s claims of having brokered peace, stating that it was direct communication between the Indian and Pakistani military leaderships that secured a ceasefire on May 10.
India’s Pressure Tactics
Strategic analysts note that India’s air and naval operations during the conflict marked a decisive shift in the balance of power, placing Islamabad under severe military strain.
- The Indian Air Force’s precision drone-led strikes under “Operation Sindoor” reportedly crippled Pakistan’s air defence grids, exposing its airspace.
- Simultaneously, assertive naval manoeuvres in the Arabian Sea exerted additional pressure, further narrowing Pakistan’s options.
It was under this combined military and diplomatic pressure, experts argue, that Islamabad was compelled to seek an immediate ceasefire through Washington.
Broader Implications
Sethi’s candour underscores Pakistan’s recurring pattern of seeking external mediation while publicly denying vulnerability. It also illustrates India’s refusal to allow third-party intervention, in keeping with its long-standing policy of resolving disputes with Pakistan strictly on a bilateral basis.
By admitting to “a lot of lobbying companies” working on Pakistan’s behalf in Washington, Sethi has also shed light on the extent of Islamabad’s dependence on foreign influence networks to secure diplomatic relief during crises.
His remarks are likely to fuel debate within Pakistan, exposing the contradictions between the establishment’s strategic narratives for domestic audiences and the realpolitik calculations pursued internationally.
While Pakistan claimed bravado in public, Najam Sethi’s revelations make clear that Islamabad sought US intervention out of desperation, whereas India’s military and diplomatic posture forced Pakistan to the negotiating table.
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