'What Hypocrisy...,' Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Breaks Law, Uses VPN to Congratulate Donald Trump, Gets Trolled

Shehbaz Sharif on Donald Trump : In an unexpected move, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently took to the banned social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential election, defeating rival Kamala Harris by a significant margin. This congratulatory message, however, stirred controversy as Sharif reportedly bypassed Pakistan’s restrictions by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access X, which remains banned in Pakistan.

Backlash on Social Media

Sharif's action sparked significant backlash from Pakistani citizens, with users on X (operating through VPNs themselves) condemning the Prime Minister’s disregard for local laws. Many criticized this move as hypocritical, particularly given the country's strict stance on VPN use.

Public Reactions on X

• User "Sir Ahmed" commented, “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is now congratulating the elected President Trump through Form 45 on a platform that’s banned in Pakistan.”
• Another user, "Haq," remarked, “Mr. Trump, this man is using a VPN just to congratulate you. By the way, this social media platform by Elon Musk is banned in Pakistan.”

Sharif’s post on X was accompanied by a disclaimer from the platform, stating that the Prime Minister had used a VPN to share his message. This move, perceived as an unlawful act by Pakistan’s citizens, continues to generate substantial media attention and criticism in the country.