A diplomatic incident unfolded at the Gaza Peace Summit when Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif delivered an unusually strong endorsement of former US President Donald Trump. Sharif declared Trump a “genuinely wonderful candidate for Peace Prize” and attributed the averted nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan to his intervention. He further praised Trump’s role in achieving peace in Gaza. Trump, visibly pleased, responded with surprise and a lighthearted remark about going home. Following this, Trump also commented positively on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The fallout for Shehbaz Sharif was immediate, with Pakistanis on social media and in mainstream media outlets expressing anger and embarrassment over what they perceived as undignified flattery. Critics argue that Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir have sacrificed Pakistan’s national pride for perceived personal or political gains, leading to widespread ridicule.
