'India Didn't Nominate Trump For Nobel But Got Better Deal': Pakistan's US Outreach Under Fire At Home

Last Updated:February 04, 2026, 15:57 IST

On social media platforms, users accused the ruling establishment of prioritising personal power and regime stability over Pakistan’s long-term economic interests

Several commentators mocked frequent high-level travel between Islamabad and Washington, with critics on social media likening the trips to “rickshaw-style shuttling”, undertaken more for political survival than national interest. (PTI)

Pakistan’s political leadership and military establishment are facing mounting criticism after India secured more favourable tariff terms in the trade agreement with the United States, sparking a wave of backlash from journalists, opposition figures, and civil society voices across Pakistan.

The US-India trade deal, announced on February 2, lowers American tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent. In contrast, Pakistan faces a 19 per cent tariff rate, despite what critics describe as intense lobbying efforts by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir in Washington.

The marginal yet symbolic difference has triggered sharp public debate in Pakistan, where commentators argue that the outcome reflects a deeper failure of diplomacy rather than a technical trade setback.

‘Hard Bargain’ vs ‘Diplomatic Begging’

Opposition voices, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokespersons, have contrasted India’s approach with Pakistan’s outreach to Washington. PTI leaders argue that India secured the lower tariff by asserting its “strategic autonomy", while Pakistan was “gifted" a higher tariff only after what they describe as personal lobbying by the Army Chief.

Several commentators mocked frequent high-level travel between Islamabad and Washington, with critics on social media likening the trips to “rickshaw-style shuttling", undertaken more for political survival than national interest.

Journalists and Analysts Speak Out

Prominent journalist Asad Toor said Pakistan’s broader economic picture made the tariff outcome even more damaging. He argued that exports are continuously declining, foreign investment has nearly vanished, and that the country’s economic leverage has “completely collapsed".

Strategic analyst and vlogger Moeed Pirzada was among the most vocal critics, questioning the narrative that Pakistan’s leadership could secure concessions through personal rapport with US President Donald Trump.

“We were told that the ‘Field Marshal’ title and the ‘minerals briefcase’ were the keys to Trump’s heart," Pirzada said. “Yet Modi gets a phone call and an 18% rate after defying the US on Russia, while our leadership gets 19% after doing everything asked of them. This is not diplomacy; it is transactional surrender."

Journalist Imran Riaz Khan echoed similar sentiments, calling the government’s approach a failure of credibility. “The ‘Salesman-in-Chief’ strategy has failed. You can give away Balochistan’s minerals in wooden boxes, but you cannot buy respect," he said.

Claims of Narrative Management

Imran Riaz Khan further claimed that the India–US deal went beyond trade, alleging that President Trump had agreed to stop referencing the May 2025 India-Pakistan air skirmishes as part of a broader understanding with New Delhi. Trump had earlier claimed that multiple Indian jets were shot down during the incident.

According to Khan, the trade agreement effectively “buys a new history," allowing India to protect its global image while Pakistan gained little in return.

Comparisons With India Intensify

Critics have also pointed to India’s broader trade positioning, arguing that New Delhi negotiated from a position of strength by prioritising national interest. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump, they argue, focused on mutual economic benefit rather than political optics.

Digital creator Wajahat Khan summed up the prevailing mood online, stating: “Trump is a businessman. He saw a manager and a shopkeeper and gave them a shopkeeper’s deal. India came as a partner and walked away with the 18 per cent prize. This is the cost of having a government without the backbone of a public mandate."

Growing Public Discontent

Across social media platforms, hashtags criticising the Shehbaz–Munir leadership trended as users accused the ruling establishment of prioritising personal power and regime stability over Pakistan’s long-term economic interests.

“India protected its interests; we only protected the survival of a few individuals in power," one widely shared post read.

As economic pressures mount and comparisons with India continue, analysts warn that the tariff debate may deepen Pakistan’s internal political fault lines, raising fresh questions about the direction, credibility, and effectiveness of its foreign and economic policy.

News world 'India Didn't Nominate Trump For Nobel But Got Better Deal': Pakistan's US Outreach Under Fire At Home

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