Few events in recent memory have stirred as much debate as the recent Saudi-Pakistan agreement. Mainstream media, social media and private conversations were abuzz, with opinions swinging between two extremes.
For some, the deal is a panacea for all ills, a jingoistic triumph that promises to transform Pakistan overnight. For others, it is nothing less than a poison pill — an outright sellout, a surrender of sovereignty dressed up as partnership. As is so often the case in matters of statecraft, the truth lies somewhere in between. Only the protagonists of the deal are fully privy to its details, which makes our responsibility as citizens even greater: not to indulge in wild speculation but to anchor our outlook in measured optimism, tempered by realism.
Both euphoria and despair are dangerous lenses. To celebrate this deal as though it were a magic elixir is to set ourselves up for disappointment. To condemn it outright as betrayal is to undermine morale and national confidence without a sufficient basis. Pakistan has long struggled with this tendency to swing between extremes, treating every event as either salvation or collapse. A mature nation learns to withhold judgment until results unfold.
Yet one cannot deny the extraordinary speed and decisiveness with which Pakistan has seized this geopolitical opening. Pakistan’s decisive victory in the 2025 air battle with India was a defining moment. For the first time in decades, the country demonstrated overwhelming capability and composure under pressure. What followed was perhaps even more important: instead of chest-thumping or indulging in triumphalism, the leadership moved with humility and foresight. That discipline allowed Pakistan to convert battlefield strength into diplomatic capital.
That same spirit appears to have guided this moment. Diplomacy is often invisible. What seems effortless in the headlines is often the result of painstaking negotiations, late-night compromises and calculated risks. By leveraging relationships with humility and tact, Pakistan has managed to secure what many describe as an extraordinary opportunity. Deals of this nature are not struck every day — and rarely with such clarity of purpose.
Much of the noise comes from journalists and commentators who write as if they were present in the inner sanctums of decision-making, privy to every word exchanged between the Saudi crown prince and Pakistani prime minister. Of course, such access is unimaginable; yet the tone of absolute certainty in their commentary only serves to fuel confusion. Even more misleading is the claim that this deal is a direct response to the Israeli attack on Qatar. Such speculation ignores the subtleties of international relations.
Strategic arrangements with Saudi Arabia do not emerge overnight; they are the product of long and careful negotiations. The timing of an announcement may align with current events, but it would be simplistic to attribute the entire agreement to that one incident.
This atmosphere of overconfidence on one side and conspiracy theories on the other is not accidental. It is part of the psychological propaganda and information warfare now unleashed across social media and other platforms, carefully designed to ensnare the less aware and feed either false hope or unnecessary despair. The impact is particularly troubling given that the majority of our population is young, emotional and hungry for wins. For them, such jingoism or doomsday scenarios can be deeply destabilising, creating unrealistic expectations or corrosive hopelessness.
A balanced, responsible narrative is critical to safeguard their emotional well-being and channel their energy constructively. Even the best diplomacy cannot succeed in isolation. A nation’s strength is measured not only at the negotiating table but in the discipline and resilience of its people. This is where our responsibility begins. Instead of amplifying conspiracy theories or indulging in premature celebrations, we must behave as responsible Pakistanis — strengthening our families, promoting civic responsibility and projecting resilience abroad.
Every citizen has a sphere of influence, whether among friends, colleagues or online. Within that space, we can choose either to spread despair or to reinforce confidence. Our youth, in particular, must treat this not as a distant negotiation but as an invitation to prepare themselves — through education, skills and civic responsibility — to be the real beneficiaries of this new chapter.
Pakistan’s history has always been a story of resilience. At every turn, when many wrote the obituary of this nation, Pakistan found ways to endure and even thrive. The glass has, in truth, always been more than half full. What matters now is whether we finally train ourselves to see it that way. This agreement with Saudi Arabia is not an end in itself. It is a tool, an opportunity, a window. Whether it leads to national renewal or fades into another footnote depends on what we as a nation do with it.
Between the hype of 'heaven on earth' and the despair of 'doomsday', the real story lies in cautious optimism. The deal deserves neither blind celebration nor outright condemnation but rather space — for its benefits to unfold, for its results to materialise and for citizens to play their part in its success. Nations are not built on cynicism or euphoria alone. They are built on resilience, trust and the conviction that the future can be brighter than the past. Pakistan’s glass has always been more than half full. It is time we acted like it.
The writer is a former global corporate executive (Unilever, PepsiCo, Yum! Brands), a mental health advocate and a founding board member of Taskeen, a pioneering organisation focused on emotional well-being in Pakistan.
Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed in this piece are the writer's own and don't necessarily reflect Geo.tv's editorial policy.