The Pakistani government's decision to nominate US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize has ignited a heated debate, following US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The nomination, announced hours before the strikes, praised Trump's 'pragmatic diplomacy' in brokering a ceasefire between Pakistan and India earlier this year. However, the subsequent bombing of Iran has drawn sharp criticism from opposition lawmakers, activists, and former diplomats.
Former Pakistani ambassador to the US, Maleeha Lodhi, called the nomination 'ill-conceived' and urged the government to withdraw it. 'Why should Pakistan nominate a man who violated international law by bombing Iran?' she asked. A senator from the conservative JUI-F party submitted a resolution for its withdrawal.
Government officials defended the nomination, citing Trump's role in preventing a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif argued that Trump's peace efforts have 'stopped major confrontations, one after the other.' Senator Musadik Malik also highlighted Trump's attempts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
Critics, including former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, dismissed the nomination as 'crass flattery.' The controversy comes as Ukraine's parliamentary foreign committee head withdrew his nomination of Trump, citing lost faith in his ability to broker peace. Trump himself expressed doubt about winning the prize, posting on Truth Social that he would not receive it 'no matter what I do.'
