New Delhi : He praised him as a ‘man of peace’. Even called him ‘saviour of South Asia’. Also, nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize. But, all these shenanigans by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif did not seem to cut much ice with Donald Trump as he appeared marginalised and sidelined during the US President’s first Gaza Board of Peace meeting on Thursday.
In fact, Sharif’s Board of Peace outing was riddled with not only embarrassment, but gaffes as well. It started with a Foreign Ministry statement on Sharif’s US visit that was replete with typos. For example, the United States of America became ‘Unites States of Americas’. It not only became a subject of ridicule globally, but was mocked by Pakistanis themselves as well. This happened even before Sharif landed in Washington.
The 5.5 feet Pakistani PM was relegated to the sidelines (imagine the scene from 3 Idiots where Rancho’s friends were made to stand at the back row due to low marks). His discomfort was visible as Trump stood prominently at the front, flanked by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Leaders from Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Qatar stood directly behind Trump.
At one point, Trump, in the middle of his speech, gestured toward the Pakistani PM and asked him to “stand up”. Sharif immediately rose from his seat — a moment that was mocked on social media, with several users dubbing him “Trump’s puppet”. Sharif again became the subject of ridicule when he, instead of outlining Pakistan’s plans on Gaza, showered lavish praise on the US President for “mediating” the India-Pakistan ceasefire last year. This, despite India consistently maintaining that the truce was reached by the countries directly.
Another moment that caught the attention was the deeply awkward exchange between the leaders as the summit ended. In one instance, Sharif seemed to lean slightly forward, as if attempting to embrace Trump. Trump, however, did not seem too inclined. Later, though, Trump pulled him and shared a hug with the Pakistani PM. There was, however, a brief moment of consolation for Sharif when Trump said, “I like this guy”. The US President also reiterated his praise for Pakistan army chief Asim Munir, calling him a “great guy”.
This was evident in Trump’s announcement on Thursday. The US President said Indonesia, Morocco, Albania, Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Egypt and Jordan agreed to contribute troops, but Pakistan found no mention. The force will be responsible for demilitarisation, aid delivery and ground-level security in Gaza following a gruelling two-year war with Israel.
