Shehbaz Sharif’s ‘draft’ tweet blunder takes over internet before Iran-US ceasefire call

Islamabad: A single overlooked word, “Draft” has triggered a viral controversy around Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, with social media users questioning how an official diplomatic message was posted on X.

The controversy erupted after users found that an earlier version of Sharif’s post appeared to include the line: “Draft - Pakistan’s PM Message on X”, a detail that was later removed in the final version.

The tweet itself focused on ongoing tensions in the Middle East, with Sharif urging global leaders to allow diplomacy more time and calling for a temporary ceasefire.

“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,” Sharif posted on April 8.

But while the message itself was diplomatic in tone, it was the edit history that quickly became the real story.

Users who clicked on the edit option on X found what appeared to be an earlier version of the same post, timestamped roughly a minute before the final version, featuring the now-viral “Draft” label.

Screenshots of this version spread rapidly, with many treating it as evidence that the message may have been copied and pasted without final proofreading.

The platform’s edit feature, which allows users to view previous versions of a post, played a key role in amplifying the issue, turning what might have otherwise gone unnoticed into a trending topic.

The incident sparked a flood of reactions online, with users ranging from critical to sarcastic.

One user wrote, “Pakistan’s Prime Minister copy-pasted the tweet along with the instructions...If the Prime Minister of Pakistan can’t even post a tweet properly, how will he run the country?”

Another commented, “Look at Shahbaz Sharif, how happy he is after posting on X the message that Trump told him to post.”

A more pointed reaction read, “This isn't some grand conspiracy — it's just embarrassing incompetence.

The edit history proves they copy-pasted an entire draft without basic proofreading.”

The viral moment comes at a crucial time. Shortly after the post, Donald Trump announced that the US had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, the same timeframe Sharif had referenced in his appeal.

Sharif has also said that Pakistan will host US-Iran talks on April 10, positioning Islamabad as a potential mediator in the conflict.

This overlap between a serious diplomatic effort and a social media misstep is what made the situation more noticeable and more widely discussed.