Shehbaz Sharif calls Donald Trump ‘a man of peace’ at UN speech

Pakistan PM also praised Trump’s efforts to broker a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict while condemning Israel for its actions in Gaza.

Washington: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reiterated his country’s nomination of US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize from the UN General Assembly podium, crediting him with preventing a “catastrophic” war with India during their military confrontation in May.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif speaks during the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City on Friday. (AFP)

Using the high-profile UN forum to reinforce Pakistan’s earlier nomination, Sharif described Trump as “a man of peace” and claimed the American leader’s “timely and decisive” intervention averted full-scale conflict following India’s Operation Sindoor.

India has rejected that such mediation ever took place after Trump first made such claims. Prime minister Narendra Modi directly told Trump during a June phone call that no American mediation occurred, with New Delhi maintaining the ceasefire was reached through direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations of Indian and Pakistani armed forces.

“Had he not intervened timely and decisively, the consequences of a full-fledged war would have been catastrophic. Who would have lived to tell what happened?” Sharif told the assembly in New York.

Sharif also praised Trump’s efforts to broker a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict while condemning Israel for its actions in Gaza and recent military strikes on Qatar.

During his UN address, Sharif referred to India as “the enemy” and claimed Pakistan shot down seven Indian fighter jets during the four-day May conflict. He also condemned India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians and triggered Operation Sindoor.

“India’s unilateral and illegal attempt to hold the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance defies the provisions of the treaty itself as well as the norms of International law. Pakistan has made it abundantly clear that we will defend the inseparable right of our people on these waters. To us, any violation of the treaty represents an act of war,” Sharif said.

In a conflicting turn of the rhetoric, Sharif also proposed restarting comprehensive dialogue with India on “all outstanding issues,” declaring: “Pakistan stands ready for a composite, comprehensive, and result-orientated dialogue with India on all outstanding issues,” including Kashmir, which he described as suffering under “tyranny.”

Trump announced the May 10 ceasefire on social media and has since repeated his mediation claims dozens of times. However, India has consistently maintained that the understanding on cessation of hostilities was reached following direct military talks without third-party intervention.

Modi told parliament that no foreign leader asked India to halt Operation Sindoor, while external affairs minister S Jaishankar categorically stated there was no third-party intervention in bringing about the ceasefire.

Sharif also stressed Pakistan had a role in fighting terrorism, claiming the country had suffered $150 billion in economic losses due to terrorist activities. “Pakistan’s sacrifices are probably the biggest around the globe,” he said.