Pakistan, Aug. 7 -- Seeing Somalia's defence minister, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, sign a defence cooperation memorandum with Khawaja Asif on Tuesday; meet Pakistan's naval and air chiefs on Wednesday and hold talks with Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir at General Headquarters on Thursday, should have given a befitting reply to those still inclined to dismiss the country's dmilitary diplomacy as a succession of ceremonial calls and carefully worded communiques.

Counterterrorism, military training and institutional capacity were discussed across all three services. Even though no arms agreement with Somalia has yet been announced, the last few days were yet another indication that Pakistan intended to move beyond being viewed prin...