At the Gaza peace summit held in Egypt, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appeared to turn the event into a platform for lauding Donald Trump, branding him a “man of peace” and pledging to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize for supposedly averting war between India and Pakistan and saving lives in the Middle East.

Sharif’s effusive praise did not sit well with many Pakistanis. On social media, critics lambasted his remarks as embarrassing and self-serving. One well-known historian, Ammar Ali Jan, accused the prime minister of “constant and needless flattery” that served merely to demean the dignity of Pakistan’s leadership. 

Another commentator, S.L. Kanthan, used sharp language, suggesting Sharif was “bootlicking” Trump — “never seen so much cringe in geopolitics,” he wrote. 

Voices across the public sphere were even more scathing. One user wrote, “Puppets have sold Pakistan for a few billion dollars,” referencing repeated lines of flattery as a kind of political commerce. Another post declared that Sharif was “an insult to the 240 million people of Pakistan.” The backlash highlights the risks political leaders face when diplomatic overtures are seen by citizens as performative or obsequious. Support for Trump from Sharif at the summit may have intended to mend or solidify ties with the United States, but domestically it triggered a wave of ridicule and accusations of pandering.

Whether Sharif’s strategy of public flattery will translate into tangible benefits for Pakistan — or lead to lasting political costs — remains uncertain. But for now, his rhetoric has become a rallying point for critics who see in it a loss of dignity and autonomy at a time when Pakistan faces challenges on multiple fronts. 

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