Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar has made an unusual diplomatic step by officially nominating former U.S. President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. The letter praised Trump for his “decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership” during the May crisis between India and Pakistan.
Islamabad’s Reason
A posting by the Pakistani government on X (twitted) Trump was acknowledged for his role in facilitating the ‘regular’ ceasefire that prevented the two armed nuclear states from going to war. It also praised Trump’s initiatives, at a global level, to ‘elevate’ the issue of Kashmir.
It also made clear that the U.S. action was in response to, “unprovoked & illegal Indian aggression” which Pakistan considered infringed on its sovereignty and was causing civilian casualties. On this occasion, it recognized Trump for doing no worse than to simply stop it from escalating any further, but to just call for discussions.
Political Calculations and Effects on the Region
This action is a big change in the relationship between Pakistan and the U.S., especially since there have been high-level meetings between Field Marshal Asim Munir and President Trump in the White House. Some experts say that Pakistan’s candidacy is a strategic move to enhance relations with the U.S., potentially to get its help with Kashmir.
But critics in Pakistan and around the world have questioned the nomination. Maleeha Lodhi, a former UN ambassador, called it “diplomatic pandering” because Trump has publicly supported Israel’s war plans. Some others wondered if what he did during the India-Pakistan conflict really helped make peace.
Trump’s Response and Legacy: On Truth Social, Trump responded in his usual dramatic way.He told stories about mediating disputes between India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, and countries in Africa, and remarked that he was distressed that he has not had the award yet. That being said, in his opinion, he would not win anyway, and had been nominated for it previously. He was adamant that his international reputation was far more important than the award.
Reactions from around the world and in diplomacy
India formally rejected the nomination’s premise, saying that its ceasefire agreements were made through direct military-level talks, not U.S. involvement. The Indian Foreign Secretary stressed that the decision was made by both countries.
Internationally, the response has been careful. People who watch said that giving a Nobel Prize to someone renowned for controversial views could make the prize less unbiased. Pakistan also made a point of the strategic messaging, which was to show Trump as a mediator in South Asia and a part of global diplomacy as a whole.
Last Thoughts
Pakistan’s choice of Donald Trump as its candidate is a daring diplomatic move that aims to show how much the U.S. affects stability in the area and open up new ways for the two countries to talk about geostrategic concerns like Kashmir. It is still unclear if the Nobel Committee will pay attention. But the move shows that Islamabad is eager to use international platforms to support its own goals.
In the end, the nomination brings up important questions: What does it mean to make peace? And can political gestures change how diplomacy works in the real world? People will keep an eye on both Islamabad and Oslo while the Nobel Committee makes its decision before the January 2026 deadline.
