Mon Jun 23 05:18:46 UTC 2025: **Pakistan Faces Backlash Over Trump Nobel Nomination After U.S. Strikes Iran**

**Islamabad -** The Pakistani government is facing mounting pressure to withdraw its nomination of U.S. President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize after recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The controversial decision, initially announced on Friday, June 20, 2025, was based on what the government hailed as Trump’s peacemaking efforts during the recent India-Pakistan conflict. A formal letter of recommendation, signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, was sent to the Nobel Committee.

However, the U.S. military action in Iran, conducted in conjunction with Israel, has triggered widespread condemnation within Pakistan, leading to calls for a swift reversal of the nomination.

Veteran politician Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), stated that Trump’s claim of being a peacemaker was false and demanded the withdrawal of the nomination. He alluded to Trump’s recent meeting with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff as a key factor in the government’s initial decision.

Former Senator Mushahid Hussain echoed this sentiment, arguing that Trump’s actions in Iran disqualify him from being considered a peacemaker. He also criticized Trump’s support for Israeli attacks on Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon.

Other political figures, including PTI lawmaker Ali Muhammad Khan, have also publicly called for reconsideration, highlighting the U.S. strikes on Iran and continued support for Israeli actions in Gaza. Even former Pakistan’s ambassador to US, Maleeha Lodhi, called the move “unfortunate” and said it did not reflect the public’s views.

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