Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif’s X post gaffe goes viral, posts draft message welcoming ceasefire before editing it

ISLAMABAD: A social media post by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has triggered widespread debate after an apparent “draft” message was mistakenly published on X and later edited.

The incident quickly drew attention online, with users scrutinising the edit history and questioning the circumstances behind the initial post.

The controversy began when the Prime Minister’s account shared a message that included the heading: “Draft – Pakistan’s PM Message on X.” The inclusion of the word “Draft” suggested that the post may not have been intended for public release in its original form. Within a short span, the tweet was edited, removing the draft label but retaining the core content.

The original text of the tweet is: “Draft – Pakistan’s PM Message on X Diplomatic efforts for peaceful settlement of the ongoing war in the Middle East are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in near future. To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks. Pakistan, in all sincerity, requests the Iranian brothers to open Strait of Hormuz for a corresponding period of two weeks as a goodwill gesture. We also urge all warring parties to observe a ceasefire everywhere for two weeks to allow diplomacy to achieve conclusive termination of war, in the interest of long-term peace and stability in the region.”

Diplomatic efforts for peaceful settlement of the ongoing war in the Middle East are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in near future. To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend…

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 7, 2026

The edited version reads, “Diplomatic efforts for peaceful settlement of the ongoing war in the Middle East are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in near future. To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks. Pakistan, in all sincerity, requests the Iranian brothers to open Strait of Hormuz for a corresponding period of two weeks as a goodwill gesture. We also urge all warring parties to observe a ceasefire everywhere for two weeks to allow diplomacy to achieve conclusive termination of war, in the interest of long-term peace and stability in the region.”

While the content remained largely unchanged, the removal of the “Draft” tag did little to contain the reaction. References to Donald Trump and the strategic Strait of Hormuz added geopolitical weight to the message, amplifying curiosity around its intent.

The episode has since fuelled speculation about internal communication lapses and the handling of sensitive diplomatic messaging in the digital age. The tweet was supposed to be a comment on US’s intention to suspend bombing for two weeks and accept Iran’s “workable” 10-point proposal. (ANI)