Pakistan PM’s X ‘Draft’ Post Linked to Unofficial Aide, Exposing Protocol Lapses

The misfire highlights weak controls over official messaging during Pakistan’s effort to broker contacts between the United States and Iran.

Overview

A ceasefire message labeled as a draft, complete with internal instructions, was accidentally published from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official X account and then circulated widely online.
Veteran journalist Absar Alam alleged a personal aide known as “Pehalwan” handled the account at the time and copied text he received on WhatsApp without checking it.
Sources described “Pehalwan” as operating outside the formal communications chain, which points to parallel workflows and thin oversight inside the Prime Minister’s office.
Insiders pushed back on early speculation that Badar Shahbaz was responsible and said he does not directly manage the Prime Minister’s social media output.
Alam said the aide received only a brief admonition to stay away from the Prime Minister for a few days, a response that drew governance concerns as Pakistan prepares for possible further US–Iran talks in Islamabad.