US Sutra | Trump and Al-Taqiyya: How Pakistan gamed the US President to save its skin – Firstpost

Did Pakistan lie, dissemble, cringe and deceive United States Donald J. Trump to win a temporary reprieve in the ongoing war with India. Worse, did President Trump’s narcissism and compulsive social media impetuosity allow him to be so easily played by Pakistan? Regrettably, the answer to both these questions is, possibly, yes. Pakistan deployed “al-Taqiyya”, a classic Islamic ruse to deceive a stronger enemy in order to save its skin.

Most observers would agree that Pakistan, known to be an unscrupulous, terror-harbouring and terror-promoting rogue state, was getting the worst drubbing of its life in the on-going fight with India. Its airfields badly damaged, air defence nearly crippled, and badly losing its drone war against India, tried a weapon of second-last resort. Why do I say second last? Because the last resort option was, surely, the nuclear one. But India has, it would seem, once and for all called Pakistan’s nuclear bluff.

What, then, is left for Pakistan, expect to cringe, beg, and run to “big brother” to save it? Pakistan used the “N” threat to game the US President, Donald J Trump into urging India into a ceasefire when we were clearly winning the war.

Trump, eager to position himself as a global peacemaker, took the bait. On May 10, 2025, he announced on his Truth Social platform: “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

What Pakistan accomplished is known in classical Islamist theology and strategy as “al Taqiyya”, dissimulation and subterfuge to ensure self-preservation in face of a stronger adversary. Al Taqiyya, a concept historically associated with Islamic jurisprudence, particularly in Shi’a theology but also recognized in broader Sunni contexts, permits deception in times of existential threat to protect oneself or the community.

In Pakistan’s case, this strategy was not merely theological but a calculated geopolitical manoeuvre. The conflict with India, sparked by a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists in April 2025, had escalated into the worst fighting between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in decades. India’s retaliatory strikes targeted Pakistani military bases, including airfields and drone launchpads, severely weakening Pakistan’s military capabilities. Facing mounting losses and unable to counter India’s superior firepower, Pakistan needed a way to halt the conflict without conceding defeat.

Posts on X suggest Pakistan may have amplified this narrative to pressure the United States, with some users claiming Pakistan “won the war by telling USA that they would launch nuclear weapons,” prompting Trump to intervene. While these posts are deceptive, because there is considerable evidence to suggest that India did hit Pakistan’s nuclear storage facilities, Pakistan did exploit nuclear fears to gain leverage. China, a long-standing ally of Pakistan, reportedly played a role in amplifying this narrative, possibly through diplomatic channels or misinformation campaigns, to ensure the United States would act swiftly to de-escalate the situation.

Trump’s Truth Social statement, celebrated by his supporters as a diplomatic triumph, was the culmination of intense US-led mediation, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance engaging senior Indian and Pakistani officials. However, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri later clarified that the ceasefire was negotiated directly between the two countries’ military operations directors, downplaying US involvement and suggesting Pakistan had exaggerated the American role to legitimize the truce domestically.

Pakistan’s deception achieved its immediate goal: halting or at least slowing down India’s military offensive. Within hours of the ceasefire announcement, explosions were reported in Kashmir. Omar Abdullah, chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, posted on X: “What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!” India accused Pakistan of breaching the agreement, with Misri stating, “Pakistan has violated the ceasefire agreed today,” and ordering Indian forces to “deal strongly” with any further violations.

The role of China in this manoeuvre cannot be overlooked. As Pakistan’s strategic partner, China has a vested interest in countering India’s regional dominance and maintaining Pakistan as a buffer against Indian influence. In fact, China has come out openly on Pakistan’s side in this war.

This aligns with China’s broader geopolitical strategy of using Pakistan to keep India preoccupied, thereby limiting New Delhi’s ability to challenge Beijing as an alternate production hub after the Trump tariffs.

Pakistan’s success in manipulating Trump highlights the vulnerabilities of his administration’s foreign policy approach. Trump’s desire for quick diplomatic wins, coupled with a lack of deep engagement in South Asian complexities, made him susceptible to Pakistan’s ploy. Vice President JD Vance’s earlier comment that the India-Pakistan conflict was “fundamentally none of our business” underscored an initial reluctance to intervene, but the spectre of nuclear escalation changed the calculus.

But the aftermath of the ceasefire reveals the limitations of Pakistan’s al Taqiyya strategy. While it secured a temporary reprieve, the underlying tensions with India remain unresolved. The ceasefire did not address the root causes of the conflict, particularly Pakistan’s alleged support for terrorist groups operating in Kashmir, which India cites as the catalyst for its military actions. Moreover, Pakistan’s credibility suffered as India and global observers noted the rapid violations, reinforcing perceptions of Pakistan as an unreliable actor.

Pakistan’s use of al Taqiyya, instead of proving to be a masterstroke of deception, might cost it dearly in the days to come. India is not likely to let down its guard or let Pakistan off the hook so easily this time. India has recognized Pakistan’s repeated perfidy and will hit back harder, as PM Modi said, if needled again.

The writer is an author and columnist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.