When Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif publicly urged Donald Trump to hold off on his threats against Iran, it looked like a usual diplomatic move. Sharif had asked Trump to delay his deadline by two weeks, hoping it would “allow diplomacy to run its course.” He also called on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as a “goodwill gesture.” But what caught people’s attention wasn’t just the message, it was how it appeared online.

The ‘draft’ that wasn’t meant to be seen

Before the final version of Sharif’s post went up, an earlier version briefly showed something unusual at the top: “Draft – Pakistan’s PM Message on X.” The edit was made just a minute before the final post was published, but that small detail didn’t go unnoticed. Soon, screenshots began circulating online, and people started asking questions.

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Among those who weighed in was journalist Ryan Grim. He pointed out that the post itself felt off. According to him, it would be odd for Sharif’s own team to refer to him as “Pakistan’s PM” in a draft. That, he suggested, hinted that the message may not have been written internally.

He speculated it could have been drafted by someone outside Pakistan, possibly from the US or even Israel. Other users online shared similar doubts. Some questioned why a draft label appeared in a public post at all. Others noted the formal English phrasing, saying it didn’t quite match how Pakistani officials usually write internally. Sharif’s office has not responded to these questions so far.

Online, the post sparked mockery. One X user wrote, “I salute this incredible ‘vision,’ sir! It takes a special kind of talent to copy-paste a draft so blindly that you forget to hide the evidence of who actually wrote it. We finally see the ‘vision’ Khan warned us about—a scripted government following a foreign draft.” Another wrote, “Ok, this is hilarious. And scary since it’s such an amateur way to do/deal in an international war conflict.”

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Pakistani PM’s post mocked as ‘peace startup’

But the draft controversy wasn’t the only thing surrounding Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Around the same time, Donald Trump announced a pause in the ongoing tensions with Iran. He said the United States would stop attacks for two weeks to give both sides time to talk.

However, Sharif’s version of events didn’t quite line up with Trump’s. While Trump spoke clearly about a two-week pause linked to certain conditions, Sharif’s message made it sound like a full and immediate ceasefire across several regions had already been agreed upon. That difference did not go unnoticed, and social media quickly picked up on it.

According to Trump, the decision came after talks with Sharif and Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir. The pause is also tied to Iran agreeing to safely reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump appeared confident about the situation. He said US forces had already achieved their military goals and that negotiations were moving forward. He also mentioned that Iran had shared a 10-point proposal, which Washington sees as a workable starting point.

Not long after, Sharif posted on X with his own take, and that’s where things began to get a bit messy. In his post, he didn’t just mention a pause. Instead, he suggested something much bigger: that Iran, the United States and their allies had agreed to an immediate ceasefire across multiple regions, including places like Lebanon.

“With the greatest humility, I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY,” Sharif wrote on X.

One user didn’t hold back, writing, “America’s Puppet & Publicity stunt. The war itself wouldn’t have happened if Imran Khan were still the PM. Selling your country, absolutely disgusting.” Another joked, “When the ‘Broker Nation’ is also the ‘Broke Nation’, you know the diplomatic bar has hit the floor.”

A third added, “Many analysts believe the only reason this is happening is that Trump realised Pakistan is the only ‘broker’ cheap enough to work on commission.”

Some took a more mocking tone about Sharif himself. “Stopped being Prime Minister and started acting like the world’s most enthusiastic broker, one week no money for oil, next week hosting ‘Islamabad Talks’ like he’s running a peace startup,” one comment read.

Backdrop – US-Iran ceasefire deal

Earlier on Tuesday, Trump had announced a ceasefire with Iran. But just hours before that, he had issued a stark warning, saying he could wipe out “a whole civilisation” if Iran did not agree to terms related to reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

It was also not the first time Trump had set such a deadline. On Sunday, he had already warned that the United States could target Iran’s civilian infrastructure and that the country would be “living in Hell” by Tuesday if it didn’t comply. In fact, this was the third time he had pushed back his deadline.