Shehbaz Sharif’s draft tweet scripted by Trump team? Pakistan PM’s 'peace message' draws online mockery

A fresh controversy has erupted around Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's post on US-Iran ceasefire on X has become a point of discussion and triggered widespread debate. Shehbaz's Sharif apparent 'draft' message was mistakenly published on X and later edited and the post has now caught the attention of netizens.

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A message from Shehbaz Sharif urging Donald Trump to delay threats of military action against Iran came under intense scrutiny on Tuesday, after social media users pointed out that an early version of the post appeared to be a “draft,” raising questions about whether it may have been prepared outside Pakistan. A draft of Shehbaz Sharif’s X post, updated a minute before the final version was posted earlier on Tuesday, is topped with the message, “Draft – Pakistan’s PM Message on X.”



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Shehbaz Sharif tweet mocked

The controversy began when the Shehbaz Sharif's account shared a message that included the heading: "Draft - Pakistan's PM Message on X." The inclusion of the word "Draft" suggested that the post may not have been intended for public release in its original form. Within a short span, the tweet was edited, removing the draft label but retaining the core content.

The original text of the tweet is: "Draft - Pakistan's PM Message on X Diplomatic efforts for peaceful settlement of the ongoing war in the Middle East are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in near future. To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks. Pakistan, in all sincerity, requests the Iranian brothers to open Strait of Hormuz for a corresponding period of two weeks as a goodwill gesture. We also urge all warring parties to observe a ceasefire everywhere for two weeks to allow diplomacy to achieve conclusive termination of war, in the interest of long-term peace and stability in the region."

The edited version reads: "Diplomatic efforts for peaceful settlement of the ongoing war in the Middle East are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in near future. To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks. Pakistan, in all sincerity, requests the Iranian brothers to open Strait of Hormuz for a corresponding period of two weeks as a goodwill gesture. We also urge all warring parties to observe a ceasefire everywhere for two weeks to allow diplomacy to achieve conclusive termination of war, in the interest of long-term peace and stability in the region."

Shehbaz Sharif's tweet written by Trump team?

Ryan Grim, founder of Drop Site, suggested Forbes that the message was unlikely to have been written by Shehbaz Sharif himself. He pointed out that Sharif’s own staff would not typically refer to him as “Pakistan’s PM,” adding that the wording made it seem as though it could have been drafted by someone in the US or Israel.

Several social media users also raised concerns over the initial post being marked as a “draft” and referring to the prime minister in English, arguing that it may not have originated from Pakistani officials. Sharif’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.

One user wrote, “Pakistan’s Prime Minister copy-pasted the tweet along with the instructions...If the Prime Minister of Pakistan can’t even post a tweet properly, how will he run the country?” Another commented, “Look at Shahbaz Sharif, how happy he is after posting on X the message that Trump told him to post.” A third added, “This isn't some grand conspiracy, it's just embarrassing incompetence.

Shehbaz Sharif had urged US President Donald Trump to extend his deadline on Iran, calling for a two-week diplomatic pause and asking Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as a goodwill gesture. However, the post came under scrutiny after screenshots of its edit history surfaced online, revealing an earlier version labelled “Draft – Pakistan’s PM Message on X.”

The apparent draft tag has fuelled speculation that the message may have been pre-scripted, with several users questioning whether Pakistan’s diplomatic communication is independently crafted or influenced externally. Some posts even alleged foreign involvement, though these claims remain unverified.