Pakistan nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize for 'excellent governance'

Pakistan nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize for 'excellent governance'

Pakistan has officially nominated US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. This comes in light of his “decisive diplomatic intervention” following a spike in violence between India and Pakistan this year.

Appreciation of Trump's diplomatic efforts

The Pakistani government praised Trump for his "pivotal leadership" in May, when several days of cross-border attacks marked the worst fighting between the two nuclear-armed nations since 1971. These conflicts claimed numerous lives and fueled fears of another war.

Some steps for de-escalation

On May 8, Islamabad and New Delhi agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire, while a final attack hit the disputed Kashmir territory over which both countries claim complete sovereignty.

Strategic foresight and statehood

“At a moment of heightened regional turmoil, President Trump demonstrated remarkable strategic foresight and exemplary statehood through robust diplomatic engagements with both countries,” the government of Pakistan said in a statement on Saturday. The US president helped "avert a broader conflict between the two nuclear-armed states that would have had catastrophic consequences for millions of people in the region and beyond," the statement added. “This intervention is a testament to his role as a true peacemaker and his commitment to resolving conflict through dialogue.”

Different perspectives on the ceasefire

Indian and Pakistani officials at the time reported conflicting accounts of how the ceasefire agreement came about. While Islamabad praised the White House's involvement, New Delhi downplayed it and sought to present the agreement as its own victory, saying the neighbors had "directly" cooperated on the ceasefire.

Nobel Prize nomination and selection process

Governments, organizations and individuals can nominate any living person or active organization for the Nobel Peace Prize. The winner is decided every year by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Trump as a global peacemaker

Throughout his time in office, Trump has sought to portray himself as a global peacemaker. Before his re-election, the Republican sharply criticized his predecessor Joe Biden's failed attempts to negotiate an endpoint to the violent clashes in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine the year before.

Current conflict situation in the Middle East

Meanwhile, a new conflict is brewing in the Middle East after Israel launched massive airstrikes on Iran on June 13, prompting retaliatory attacks from Tehran - a conflict that has already caused significant human casualties.

According to Iranian state television IRIB, more than 400 people have been killed in Iran, while the Israeli government reports at least 24 dead in Israel. Israel says the strikes targeted nuclear facilities and senior military officials, several of whom were killed. Tehran responded with drone and missile attacks that penetrated deep into northern and southern Israel.

USA and diplomatic efforts

This week, Trump set a self-imposed two-week deadline for a decision on U.S. military involvement in Iran. After meeting with a senior EU official and the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany in Geneva, Iran's foreign minister said his country was unwilling to re-enter negotiations with the US while under attack by Israel.

On Friday, Trump emphasized his diplomatic successes in the Middle East and beyond while suggesting he would not get credit for them. “I will not receive a Nobel Peace Prize for ending the war between India and Pakistan,” he posted on his Truth Social platform. “I will not receive a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do, including Russia/Ukraine and Israel/Iran, no matter what the results may be.”