Pakistan's Nobel Peace Prize Nod To Trump Explodes In Its Face After US Bombs Iran

When Pakistan's government hastily announced its decision to nominate US President Donald J. Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, it was perhaps hoping to score diplomatic brownie points with a man who still carries considerable clout in global politics. But within hours of that announcement, the illusion of peacemaking shattered-courtesy of three massive explosions in Iran.

In what now appears to be a monumental diplomatic blunder, Trump ordered strikes on Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz-crippling Iran's nuclear infrastructure and dragging the US deeper into a conflict already blazing across the Middle East.

For Pakistan, the timing couldn't have been worse.

From Celebration to Condemnation 

The official letter, signed by none other than Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, had already landed in the inbox of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee in Norway. The government's justification? Trump's alleged role in preventing escalation during the recent India-Pakistan standoff.

But the ink had barely dried before bombs began to fall.

“Pakistan condemns the US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities which follow the series of attacks by Israel. We are gravely concerned at the possible further escalation of tensions in the region. Iran has the legitimate right to defend itself under the UN Charter. Any further escalation of tensions will have severely damaging implications for the region and beyond,” the Pakistan foreign ministry said.

The backlash inside Pakistan has been swift, fiery, and deeply embarrassing for a government that critics say is far too eager to please Washington.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who heads the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), was among the first to slam the move.“President Trump's claim of peace has proven to be false; the proposal for the Nobel Prize should be withdrawn,” he said at a gathering in Murree. His words cut deeper when he added,“Trump has supported the Israeli attacks on Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and Iran. How can this be a sign of peace?”

“With the blood of Afghans and Palestinians on America's hands, how can he claim to be a proponent of peace?” he added.

He also took a jab at Pakistan's power circles, saying the Trump nomination stemmed from nothing more than a luncheon meeting with COAS Field Marshal Asim Munir, suggesting it wasn't diplomacy but sheer servility.

'A Cause of Shame': Critics Speak Out 

From career politicians to diplomats, journalists to activists-voices across Pakistan have joined the chorus of condemnation.

Former senator Mushahid Hussain called out Trump for having“unleashed an illegal war,” adding that“Pakistan government must now review, rescind and revoke his Nobel nomination.” In a scathing post, he wrote,“Trump had been trapped by (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin )Netanyahu and the Israeli war lobby, committing the biggest blunder of his presidency. Trump will now end up presiding over the decline of America!”

Hussain's warning is not just about foreign policy optics; it's about how Islamabad is perceived on the global stage.“Trump engaged in deception and betrayed his own promise not to start new wars,” he said, painting a picture of the US president not as a peacemaker, but a provocateur.

Ali Muhammad Khan of the Opposition PTI simply wrote“reconsider” in a stark one-word post, joining his party's full-throated denouncement of the US strikes and its backing of Israeli aggression in Gaza.

But it was Raoof Hasan, head of PTI's think tank, who minced no words:“The government's decision was now a cause of unmitigated shame and embarrassment for those who were instrumental in making the choice.”

“That's why it is said that legitimacy can neither be bought nor gifted," Hasan added.

Sycophancy in High Places 

Even veteran statesmen couldn't ignore what they saw as an alarming case of political bootlicking.

Afrasiab Khattak, a former senator, blasted the government for adopting“sycophancy” in its dealings with Trump.“It was most embarrassing to announce the nomination hours before Trump ordered to bomb Iranian nuclear sites,” he said bluntly.

The sycophancy adopted by Pakistani ruling elite in nominating President Trump for Nobel Peace Prize is not part of normative conduct in international diplomacy. It was most embarrassing to announce the nomination hours before Trump ordered to bomb Iranian nuclear sites.

- Afrasiab Khattak (@a_siab) June 22, 2025

Across political lines, leaders are asking: why was Pakistan so quick to tie its national image to a leader whose foreign policy has always danced on the edge of volatility?

Jamaat-i-Islami chief Naeemur Rehman said the decision“undermines our national dignity and grace.” Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan's former ambassador to the US, added that the move“did not reflect the public's views.” Author Fatima Bhutto cut straight to the point:“Will Pakistan withdraw its nomination for him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize?”

Very true, Dr. Sahiba! This move also undermines our national dignity and grace. Naeem ur Rehman (@NaeemRehmanEngr) June 21, 2025

Chasing Relevance, Losing Respect 

This diplomatic debacle is more than just a bad PR move-it's a symptom of a larger problem. At a time when Pakistan's economy teeters, its democratic framework is questioned, and its foreign relations are shaky at best, the government's actions reveal a desperate attempt to remain relevant on the world stage.

But in doing so, it has managed only to amplify its irrelevance.

One moment, it was hoping to earn applause for recognizing“peace.” The next, it was dodging the fallout of associating with a man dropping bombs on Iran.

And perhaps the most tragic irony? The same Trump who the Pakistani establishment believes can broker peace is now being blamed for setting the region on fire-with Islamabad as an awkward cheerleader in the background.

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