As US President Donald Trump approaches his self-imposed 48-hour deadline for possible military action against Iran, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made an unusual post on social media and uploaded it briefly as a “draft”, raising questions about whether Washington was using Islamabad to signal an exit before declaring a ceasefire. According to the New York Times, Sharif’s call on X seeking a two-week moratorium on hostilities was not spontaneous. The statement said diplomacy was making “steady, strong and powerful progress” and urged Trump to extend the deadline. The statement was seen and approved by the White House before it was made public, suggesting coordinated back-channel messaging.The post briefly appeared under the title “Draft – Message from Pakistan Prime Minister on X” before being edited, sparking speculation. Despite the correction, the message remained unchanged, including the sentence: “We also urge all warring parties to observe a ceasefire everywhere for two weeks” and called for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened.Another report in the Financial Times said Washington had been working for weeks through Islamabad to broker a pause, and that Pakistan’s role was to “sell it to Tehran.” The outreach involves Pakistan’s military leadership, including Army Chief of Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, who is in touch with senior U.S. officials and Iranian counterparts.The United States believes Iran will be more receptive to proposals from its Muslim-majority neighbors that have remained neutral during the conflict, the report said. Sharif made the proposal public after consultations, including with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.Within hours of the news, Washington and Tehran confirmed a two-week ceasefire, halting escalation. Trump, who had earlier warned of an all-out strike if Iran failed to abide by the deal, said “the deal will be finalized in two weeks” and said talks with Pakistan’s leader influenced the suspension.Although a White House official denied that Trump authored Sharif’s statement, the incident reflects that diplomatic channels remain active even as public rhetoric escalates.Iran has since agreed to start negotiations with the United States in Islamabad, with the proposed framework reportedly related to reopening the Strait of Hormuz. However, disagreements remain over the content of Iran’s plans, particularly around its nuclear program, and sporadic attacks in the region have continued despite the ceasefire.
