ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities have dismissed what they described as “false and baseless propaganda” surrounding a tweet by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding a possible ceasefire between Iran and the United States.
According to official sources, certain sections of the media misrepresented the PM’s social media post, sparking unnecessary controversy. When contacted, government officials clarified that the Prime Minister’s Twitter account is managed by a dedicated team that routinely handles draft messages.
A senior bureaucrat, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that draft tweets are often circulated internally with varying labels such as “For the perusal of PM Pakistan,” “For the attention of the Prime Minister,” or “Pakistan’s PM messages”. In this instance, the official said, a draft was mistakenly posted but quickly corrected within a minute after the error was identified.
The official stressed that such minor errors are not uncommon and are typically rectified promptly, both in Pakistan and internationally. Similar incidents, he added, have occurred in previous administrations as well.
Importantly, the official claimed that following the prime minister’s tweet, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian responded with a positive message, signalling willingness toward a ceasefire.
The clarification comes after sections of international media raised questions over an earlier version of the tweet, which reportedly referenced a request to Donald Trump regarding a deadline related to Iran. The post was edited shortly after publication, prompting speculation that officials now say is unfounded.
