Pak govt under fire for nominating Trump for Nobel Peace Prize
Lahore (PTI): The Pakistan government, as well as the country's military establishment, have come under severe criticism from netizens on social media for recommending US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Ishaq Dar, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, has formally sent a letter to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee in Norway, recommending the US President for the award for his "decisive diplomatic intervention" during the recent India-Pakistan conflict.
Soon after the announcement, netizens on X began chiding the Pakistani government for pleasing its "master", the US president.
The criticism intensified after the US attacked Iran's Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites to destroy the country's nuclear programme. US President Trump warned of additional strikes if Iran retaliated.
"Pakistanis, beware! After an attack on Iran, PM Shehbaz might not only award President Trump the Nobel Peace Prize, but also bestow upon him the Tamgha-e-Jurat (Medal of Courage), Tamgha-e-Shujaat (Medal of Bravery), Tamgha-e-Basalat (Medal of Valour), Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence), and perhaps even the Nishan-e-Haider (Pakistan’s highest military honour)," a user said on X on Sunday.
Pakistani journalist Ameer Abbas said: "The same Trump that PML-N senior leader Khawaja Saad Rafique once compared to Genghis Khan and Hitler — last night, the very same PML-N government nominated that 'Genghis Khan and Hitler' for the Nobel Peace Prize. Who is orchestrating such shameful and cowardly decisions?"
"How far will Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari go to please the powers that be — throwing the nation, the system, parliament, the Constitution, democracy, and political traditions into the abyss?" he asked.
Political analyst and columnist Raheeq Abbasi sarcastically said that the very Donald Trump whom Westerners were protesting against for war crimes was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
"Is there any sense of honour or humanity in those who nominated Trump, who vetoed the Gaza ceasefire resolution 8 times, for the Nobel Prize?" he asked.
"Thank you, Hafiz Sahib (Army Chief Gen Asim Munir)," he said in another post.
Another netizen said the government could have nominated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the prize, but thankfully settled for Trump. "It’s also possible Netanyahu has been shortlisted for the next category."
One Jarjees Ahmad said: "We are recommending someone involved in the massacre of Palestinians for a Nobel Peace Prize, and at the same time, we claim to stand with Iran. What a supreme level of hypocrisy."
Major (R) Asim accused the military establishment of making decisions at its will and said the "uncrowned kings" of the country were "ready to sell out the nation whenever they please".
Another social media user, Aamir Khan, said: "Shahbaz Sharif, Asif Zardari, Nawaz Sharif, and Asim Munir have nominated Donald Trump — a terrorist responsible for the massacre of Muslims — for a Nobel Prize. What greater betrayal could there be to Muslims, to our country, and the people of Pakistan? The nation must hold them accountable."
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Didn't answer any questions, completely defensive response': Rahul on Shah's speech in LS
New Delhi (PTI): After the Lok Sabha witnessed a heated exchange between him and Amit Shah during a debate on election reforms, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday called the home minister's response "completely defensive" and asserted that "vote chori" is the "biggest treason".
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha also claimed the home minister did not respond to any of the points raised by him and remained evasive including on transparent voter lists, EVMs and granting immunity to chief election commissioner.
"The home minister made a very defensive response. He did not reply to the points raised by us. It is a completely defensive response, you would have seen his face," Gandhi told reporters.
"I had asked him a few things, had asked for a transparent voter list for all, but he did not say a word about it. I had asked for providing EVM architecture to all, but he didn't say a word.
"I had said BJP leaders are voting in Haryana and Bihar, he did not speak on it. My press conference have a solid proof, but he did not speak about it," the former Congress chief said.
"The chief election commissioner is being given full immunity," he said.
The opposition MPs including Gandhi staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha during the debate on electoral reforms.
Later in a post on X, he said the home minister's response in Parliament on vote theft is "a panicked, defensive response".
"Not a single word on providing digital, machine-readable, transparent voter rolls, panic over a transparent audit of EVM architecture now, no response on BJP leaders and workers keeping and casting votes in multiple states, no response even on removing the CJI from the selection process (of ECs), absurd response on granting immunity to the EC and the excuse for not providing CCTV footage is also highly ridiculous.
"I am repeating once again - vote theft is the biggest treason," he said in a post in Hindi on X.
Earlier, in a stinging attack at the Opposition over its criticism of the SIR, Shah said they are worried because they can no longer win elections by corrupt practices and claimed that the reason for Congress' defeat in polls was its leadership and not EVMs or "vote chori".
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal also said the home minister should accept Gandhi’s challenge to discuss his press conferences that exposed "vote chori".
"He should respond to the clear-cut proof shown about how the BJP has completely hijacked the ECI and the electoral process. Tell us the time and place, Amit Shah ji. We are ready," Venugopal said on X.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also said, "Amit Shah ji spent 1.5 hours just giving this clarification that he has not committed 'vote theft'."
"The one who is innocent does not give such a long clarification," she told reporters.
