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Pakistan's Nobel Prize Nomination for Trump Sparks Controversy After US Strikes on Iran



Pakistan's decision to nominate US President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize has ignited a fierce political backlash, with critics calling the move an embarrassing diplomatic blunder following America's bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities.


The Pakistani government announced on Saturday that it would formally recommend Trump for the prestigious award, citing his "decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership during the recent India-Pakistan crisis". Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar signed the recommendation letter, which was already sent to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee in Norway.


The Timing Controversy

The nomination came just three days after Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir met with Trump at the White House, leading many to view the decision as an attempt to curry favor with the American administration. However, the timing proved catastrophic when, less than 24 hours after the nomination announcement, US forces launched devastating strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites.

On Sunday, American B-2 bombers and Tomahawk cruise missiles targeted Iran's Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities in what Trump called a "very successful attack". The operation, dubbed "Operation Midnight," involved over 125 US aircraft and deployed massive bunker-buster bombs weighing 30,000 pounds each.


Political Backlash Intensifies

The juxtaposition of Pakistan's peace prize nomination and America's military action against Iran has prompted widespread condemnation from Pakistani politicians and civil society.


Veteran politician Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), demanded the government withdraw Trump's nomination, stating: "President Trump's claim of peace has proven to be false; the proposal for the Nobel Prize should be withdrawn". He accused Trump of having "blood of Palestinians, Iraqis and Afghans on his hands".


Former Senator Mushahid Hussain took to social media, asserting that Trump had "willfully unleashed an illegal war" and urged authorities to "review, rescind and revoke" the Nobel nomination. He claimed that Trump had been "trapped by Netanyahu and Israeli war lobby, committing the biggest blunder of his presidency".


International Embarrassment

The diplomatic contradiction became even more apparent when Pakistan condemned the US strikes on Iran just one day after nominating Trump for the peace prize. Pakistan's foreign ministry called the attacks a violation of "all norms of international law" and expressed grave concern about regional escalation.


Former Senator Afrasiab Khattak described the nomination as reflecting "sycophancy" that was "not part of normative conduct in international diplomacy," noting it was "most embarrassing to announce the nomination hours before Trump ordered to bomb Iranian nuclear sites".


The India-Pakistan Context

Pakistan justified its nomination by crediting Trump with mediating the May 2025 conflict between India and Pakistan. The four-day crisis began when India launched "Operation Sindoor" on May 7, striking nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir following a militant attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians.


However, India has consistently disputed US mediation claims, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi telling Trump directly that the ceasefire was reached through direct military communications between India and Pakistan, not American intervention.


Public Opinion and Social Media Response

The nomination has triggered a storm of criticism on social media platforms, with Pakistani citizens accusing their government of "appeasing its master". Users mockingly suggested that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif might award Trump additional Pakistani honors beyond the Nobel Prize.


Iran's ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, called the Nobel nomination idea "strange" and questioned whether "such a man" deserved the prestigious award given recent military actions.


Growing Calls for Withdrawal

Multiple political figures have demanded the government reconsider its decision. Jamaat-i-Islami chief Naeemur Rehman claimed the nomination "undermines our national dignity and grace," while former Pakistani ambassador to the US Maleeha Lodhi described it as "unfortunate".


Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) think-tank head Raoof Hasan labeled the nomination a cause of "unmitigated shame and embarrassment," while PTI lawmaker Ali Muhammad Khan called for reconsideration given "US attack on Iran and continuous US support of Israeli killings in Gaza".


Regional Implications

The controversy highlights Pakistan's delicate balancing act in regional geopolitics, particularly its relationships with Iran, the United States, and the broader Muslim world. Pakistan shares a 900-kilometer border with Iran and has historically maintained complex relationships with both Tehran and Washington.


As pressure mounts for the government to withdraw the nomination, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks involved in premature diplomatic gestures without considering rapidly evolving international circumstances.


The Pakistani government has yet to respond officially to the growing calls for withdrawal, leaving the controversial nomination in limbo as regional tensions continue to escalate 

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