Pakistan has formally recommended US President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, citing his role in defusing tensions between Pakistan and India earlier this year.
A letter of recommendation, signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, has been sent to the Nobel Committee in Norway.
According to the government, the move recognises President Trump’s efforts in bringing about a ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed neighbours and for highlighting the Kashmir dispute on the international stage.
The development comes after the government’s announcement, made nearly a day earlier on social media, of its decision to formally nominate Trump for the world’s most prestigious peace award.
India’s unprovoked aggression against Pakistan
In a statement issued on X, the federal government said that the international community had witnessed “unprovoked and unlawful Indian aggression,” which it described as a “grave violation” of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The attack, according to the statement, resulted in the “tragic loss of innocent lives, including women, children, and the elderly.”
In response, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos — a “measured, resolute, and precise military” countermeasure. The operation, Pakistan stressed, was executed to re-establish deterrence and defend its territorial integrity while “consciously avoiding civilian harm.”
Trump helps de-escalate worsening situation
Amid the heightened tensions, the statement noted that President Trump “demonstrated great strategic foresight and stellar statesmanship” by engaging diplomatically with both Islamabad and New Delhi.
This effort, it added, helped de-escalate the rapidly worsening situation, secured a ceasefire, and prevented a wider regional conflict.
The government hailed Trump’s actions as those of a “genuine peacemaker” with a firm commitment to resolving conflict through dialogue.
Trump offers to resolve Kashmir issue
The government also acknowledged Trump’s previous “sincere offers” to help resolve the Kashmir dispute — reiterating that the decades-old issue lies at the heart of regional instability.
It added that “durable peace in South Asia would remain elusive” without the implementation of relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.
The statement concluded by underscoring Pakistan’s admiration for Trump’s “pragmatic diplomacy and effective peace-building,” adding that the country remains hopeful his efforts will contribute to broader regional and global stability — particularly amid the worsening crises in the Middle East, including the situation in Gaza and tensions involving Iran.
The heaviest fighting in decades between Pakistan and India was sparked by an April 22 attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) that killed 26 people, most of them tourists. New Delhi blamed Pakistan for the attack, a charge denied by Islamabad.
In response to India’s cross-border strikes, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos and downed six Indian Air Force jets, including three Rafales.
The two countries, following four days of armed conflict, agreed on a ceasefire on May 10.
Although Pakistan has time again praised and credited President Trump for his role in the ceasefire, which he himself has highlighted on multiple occasions, India has denied any US involvement whatsoever.
However, the US president is on record reiterating his stance and has even offered to mediate the longstanding Kashmir dispute between the two countries — a stance also highlighted by the US State Department as well.
Trump reiterates desire for Nobel Peace Prize
Speaking to reporters in Morristown, New Jersey yesterday, President Trump said he should have won the Nobel Peace Prize four or five times by now.
He complained that he did not receive a Nobel Peace Prize for his work to normalise economic ties between Serbia and Kosovo during his first administration.
“They should give me the Nobel Prize for Rwanda, and if you look, the Congo, or you could say Serbia, Kosovo, you could say a lot of them. The big one is India and Pakistan. I should’ve gotten it four or five times. They won’t give it because they only give it to liberals,” he said.
The Peace Prize honors efforts in arms control and disarmament, peace negotiation, democracy and human rights, and work aimed at creating a better organized and more peaceful work, according to its official website.
— With additional input from Reuters
