Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has once more provoked controversy after publicly applauding former US President Donald Trump for what he called an “instrumental role” in advancing peace around the world. The social media message prompted a sharp, mocking response from former Pakistani ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani, and Indian MP Shashi Tharoor soon helped the reaction gain wider attention online.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Shehbaz Sharif praised Donald Trump for his reported role in fostering reconciliation between Cambodia and Thailand and cited the former president’s involvement in initiatives such as the Kuala Lumpur Accord and the Gaza Peace Plan. He also credited Trump with sustained efforts aimed at peace and stability in the Middle East and South Asia, saying those actions had “saved millions of lives.”
The prime minister went on to say he had nominated Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, describing him as a “global leader for peace.” The remarks follow similar praise Sharif offered at the Gaza Summit in Egypt a few weeks earlier, where he publicly acknowledged Trump’s contribution to regional calm.
In response, Husain Haqqani took to social media to ridicule the prime minister’s tone. Haqqani quipped that Shehbaz Sharif was still “in the lead for gold in the Olympic sport of flattering Trump,” a barbed comment that quickly circulated across platforms and reignited the debate.
Shashi Tharoor added fuel to the discussion by resharing Haqqani’s post on his official X account, which broadened the conversation across South Asia. Reactions were split: some users accused Sharif of “embarrassing Pakistan” with excessive praise of a foreign leader, while others viewed the gesture as an attempt to bolster ties with the United States.
This is not an isolated occurrence. Earlier this month at the Gaza Summit, Sharif lauded Trump’s “untiring and relentless efforts” and said Pakistan had nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize for playing a role in stopping hostilities, including an alleged contribution toward a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, remarks he made while Mr Trump stood beside him.
Sharif confirmed intentions to again nominate Trump for the Nobel accolade, citing his claim that the former president had “saved millions of lives in South Asia and the Middle East.” That assertion drew sharp criticism from opposition figures and members of the public, who dismissed it as flattery and questioned its diplomatic value.
The back-and-forth underscores the tangled relationship between domestic politics and foreign policy in South Asia, where expressions of friendship toward world leaders are closely scrutinised. Supporters see Sharif’s comments as signalling a cooperative posture toward Washington amid changing global dynamics, while critics argue they weaken Pakistan’s independent standing.
As the debate continues to unfold online and in political circles, reactions from figures such as Husain Haqqani and Shashi Tharoor have reopened conversations about Pakistan’s diplomatic approach. Many observers are left wondering whether Sharif’s repeated praise reflects a calculated strategy or a form of political theatre; for now, the exchange remains one of the region’s most discussed diplomatic flashpoints.
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