New Delhi, April 9 -- I sat glued to my screen through the long, tense night of April 8, 2026, in Peshawar, watching history unfold in real time. The world held its breath as a U.S. deadline loomed, one that threatened strikes on Iran, and a potential spiral into wider chaos. Phones buzzed with alerts, social media lit up with speculation, and sleep felt impossible. Yet, as the hours ticked by, something extraordinary happened as Pakistan stepped into the spotlight, not as a bystander, but as a calm, trusted bridge that pulled two adversaries back from the edge.

The process started with silent yet continuous work through backchannels. The mediation process which Pakistan started three days ago reached its peak during the night. I watched...