Islamabad, Jun 23 (PTI): Prominent figures and politicians in Pakistan have called on the government to reevaluate its recommendation to nominate President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. This comes in the wake of the United States' bombing of Iran's three nuclear sites. The surprising announcement was made on Friday, as the government cited Trump's self-proclaimed peacemaking efforts amid the recent India-Pakistan conflict for their decision. A letter of recommendation, signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, was sent to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee in Norway. However, the decision has been heavily scrutinized following the US bombing of Iran's Fordo, Isfahan, and Natanz nuclear sites, in an effort to disrupt Tehran's nuclear program alongside Israel. According to the Dawn newspaper, some leading politicians have called for the government to reassess this decision in light of these developments.
Veteran politician Maulana Fazlur Rehman, leader of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), has urged the government to reverse its decision. "President Trump's claim of peace has proven to be false; the proposal for the Nobel Prize should be withdrawn," Fazl addressed party workers in Murree on Sunday. He contended that Trump's recent meeting and lunch with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir "pleased Pakistani rulers so much" that they opted for the Nobel Prize nomination. "Trump has supported Israeli attacks on Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and Iran. How can this be a sign of peace?" Fazl questioned. "With the blood of Afghans and Palestinians on America's hands, how can he claim to be a proponent of peace?"
Trump ran on the platform of being a "peacemaker," aiming to use his negotiation skills to quickly end wars in Ukraine and Gaza, yet these conflicts persist five months into his presidency. Former senator Mushahid Hussain posted on X: "Since Trump is no longer a potential peacemaker, but a leader who has willfully unleashed an illegal war, the Pakistan government must now review, rescind, and revoke his Nobel nomination!" He argued that 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!" Mushahid added, condemning the US attacks on Iran.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Ali Muhammad Khan simply wrote "reconsider" on his X account, underlining the "US attack on Iran and continuous US support of Israeli killings in Gaza." The Opposition PTI further condemned the "unprovoked" US strikes and expressed "total support" for Iran's sovereignty. Raoof Hasan, head of PTI's political think-tank, remarked that the government's decision is 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 commented in critique of the government.
He also criticized the US's "total disregard for international covenants" through its actions against Iran. Former senator Afrasiab Khattak described the nomination of President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize by Pakistan’s ruling elite as not adhering to normative conduct in international diplomacy. Khattak noted it was particularly embarrassing that the announcement was made just hours before Trump ordered the bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities. Jamaat-i-Islami chief Naeemur Rehman stated the decision "undermines our national dignity and grace." Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US, Maleeha Lodhi, called the move "unfortunate," emphasizing it did not align with public opinion. In a post on X, senior journalist Mariana Baabar discussed how the nomination does not cast Pakistan in a favorable light, referencing the government's intentions about Trump's nomination.
Author and activist Fatima Bhutto posed the question, "Will Pakistan withdraw its nomination for him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize?"
(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
