ISLAMABAD: Pakistan found itself in an embarrassing diplomatic bind as American bombs rained on Iran early Sunday, barely 24 hours after Islamabad's surprise decision to nominate US President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.
The airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan prompted the Shehbaz Sharif govt to issue a statement criticising the US for what it said was a violation of “all norms of international law”.
The prelude to the foreign affairs ministry’s condemnation of the attacks was mounting domestic backlash over the timing and political wisdom of the Shehbaz govt’s Nobel move.
"This is diplomatic inconsistency at its worst," said former ambassador Maleeha Lodhi. "You can't praise a man for peace one day and stay silent when he orders bombings the next."
Just a day earlier, Islamabad had announced it would formally nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his role in “halting” the India-Pakistan conflict in May. Officials highlighted his rare White House meeting with Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and a purported backchannel hotline with Delhi as evidence of “effective US intervention”.
The forced change in tone within a day was as dramatic as Trump transitioning from “peacemaker” to aggressor.
“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,” the foreign ministry said.
“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.”
Deputy PM and foreign minister Ishaq Dar posted on X a message expressing solidarity with Iran. “Met my dear brother, Iran’s foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi @araghchi, today on the sidelines of the 51st OIC CFM in Istanbul…I reaffirmed our unwavering support for Iran’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and its right to self-defence under the UN Charter,” he wrote.
Earlier in the day, criticism poured in from various quarters for the Shehbaz govt’s Trump tilt, with commentator Talat Hussain terming the move "pathetic" and saying it revealed a "colonised mindset desperate for American approval”.
The backlash reflects deeper unease within Pakistan, where public support for Iran and Palestine runs high. "There's growing public anger over inconsistency," said political analyst Mosharraf Zaidi. "It weakens Pakistan's moral position and suggests a transactional approach to diplomacy."
Behind the scenes, officials say the govt is pursuing a difficult but pragmatic strategy: maintaining ties with Washington to ease economic pressure and retain diplomatic space in its conflict with India. But the optics of nominating Trump just before he authorised strikes on a Muslim-majority nation have complicated that calculation significantly.
Online, the blowback has been swift and unforgiving. Hashtags like #NobelForWar and #TrumpNominationShame trended on Pakistani Twitter (X), amplifying criticism of what many see as a diplomatic own goal. The Nobel nomination, intended as a diplomatic coup, appears to have backfired spectacularly.
The airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan prompted the Shehbaz Sharif govt to issue a statement criticising the US for what it said was a violation of “all norms of international law”.
The prelude to the foreign affairs ministry’s condemnation of the attacks was mounting domestic backlash over the timing and political wisdom of the Shehbaz govt’s Nobel move.
"This is diplomatic inconsistency at its worst," said former ambassador Maleeha Lodhi. "You can't praise a man for peace one day and stay silent when he orders bombings the next."
Just a day earlier, Islamabad had announced it would formally nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his role in “halting” the India-Pakistan conflict in May. Officials highlighted his rare White House meeting with Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and a purported backchannel hotline with Delhi as evidence of “effective US intervention”.
The forced change in tone within a day was as dramatic as Trump transitioning from “peacemaker” to aggressor.
“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,” the foreign ministry said.
“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.”
Deputy PM and foreign minister Ishaq Dar posted on X a message expressing solidarity with Iran. “Met my dear brother, Iran’s foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi @araghchi, today on the sidelines of the 51st OIC CFM in Istanbul…I reaffirmed our unwavering support for Iran’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and its right to self-defence under the UN Charter,” he wrote.
Earlier in the day, criticism poured in from various quarters for the Shehbaz govt’s Trump tilt, with commentator Talat Hussain terming the move "pathetic" and saying it revealed a "colonised mindset desperate for American approval”.
The backlash reflects deeper unease within Pakistan, where public support for Iran and Palestine runs high. "There's growing public anger over inconsistency," said political analyst Mosharraf Zaidi. "It weakens Pakistan's moral position and suggests a transactional approach to diplomacy."
Behind the scenes, officials say the govt is pursuing a difficult but pragmatic strategy: maintaining ties with Washington to ease economic pressure and retain diplomatic space in its conflict with India. But the optics of nominating Trump just before he authorised strikes on a Muslim-majority nation have complicated that calculation significantly.
Online, the blowback has been swift and unforgiving. Hashtags like #NobelForWar and #TrumpNominationShame trended on Pakistani Twitter (X), amplifying criticism of what many see as a diplomatic own goal. The Nobel nomination, intended as a diplomatic coup, appears to have backfired spectacularly.
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