The announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the US, Israel , and Iran early on Wednesday saw all parties claim victory; however, on social media, there appeared to be another winner.
Boosted by their country's role in brokering the ceasefire, Pakistanis around the world celebrated loudly on social media - and the memes did not disappoint. The New Arab takes a look at some of the top takes. "We stopped World War III" One meme which made the rounds on social media was clipped from the 1977 blockbuster Saturday Night Fever, showing the lead character, played by John Travolta, strutting down a street to the tune of the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive".
"Pakistanis across the globe walking into work this morning realising their country stopped another World War," wrote the account SocialDigitally on X.
Pakistanis across the globe walking into work this morning realising their country stopped another World War pic.twitter.com/DwnwDXNApg — Raza (@SocialDigitally) April 8, 2026 'No fighting!' Another post, which garnered over a million views on X, took a scene from British TV series Peaky Blinders , showing lead character Tommy sternly warning his friends not to fight on his wedding day. In this case, Tommy was Pakistan, and his friends being scolded were the US and Iran, as well as other regional players dragged into the conflict. #Pakistan in the past 24 hours.
Who made this meme video? Genius! pic.twitter.com/uLmpPzBnsB — Shen Shiwei 沈诗伟 (@shen_shiwei) April 8, 2026 The post also took a jab at Pakistan's regional rival and neighbour India, with Tommy shoving another character, labelled "India", out of the way. Ouch.
Another version of the video, enhanced with AI, saw Tommy replaced with Pakistani military chief Asim Munir.
A nuclear power with a significant military strength, Pakistan's ties with many of countries affected by the conflict made it simultaneously well placed to broker a truce, and caught in a delicate balancing act between the US - a key benefactor of military aid - and its neighbour Iran.
However, at the beginning of the Israeli-US war on Iran, Pakistan was embroiled in its own conflict with Afghanistan. Its military campaign drew international outrage over attacks on civilian infrastructure, including a rehab centre where hundreds of Afghans were killed.
Much has changed over the course of a month, however, with Pakistan now enjoying the limelight as having helped bring the Iran war to a halt. Trump retires to Punjab A video of a Saleem Bagga, a Pakistani 'lookalike' of US President Donald Trump, resurfaced on Wednesday, with some joking that the president had now chosen a quieter life of selling sweet treats.
"Trump after ceasefire," read one caption.
Trump after ceasefire. #ceasefire pic.twitter.com/4lCxrIAAM3 — Haroon (@Mengg_Dagg) April 8, 2026 Bagga, who has featured in the international press and has become something of a local celebrity in his native east Punjab, with his blond hair said to resemble that of the US president's.
"My face resembles Donald Trump, that is why people take selfies with me...I feel very good," Bagga told Reuters in a 2025 interview. And the haters Amid the jubilation on social media, some expressed skepticism at whether Pakistan had really pulled off what was looking increasingly unthinkable.
The sceptics channelled their cynicism through the medium of the meme.
One X user posted the "pushing the train" meme, implying that Islamabad had taken credit for something it didn't deserve.
Pakistan successfully mediating between US and Iran pic.twitter.com/7fTPt1bviu — Lord Immy Kant (@KantInEastt) April 8, 2026 Moments after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif 's ceasefire announcement on X, speculation swirled over whether the Pakistani leader was really the brains behind the push for peace.
One theory centred on the fact that the draft history for Sharif's post showed that he had included the words "Draft - Pakistan's PM Message on X". Journalists and observers questioned whether a draft written inside Pakistan would refer to their own leader as "Pakistan PM".
"The edit history on this tweet shows that Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif originally copied and pasted everything he was sent, including: "*Draft - Pakistan's PM Message on X*" Now, obviously, Sharif's own staff don't call him "Pakistan's PM," they would just call him prime minister," wrote journalist Ryan Grim on X.
"The U.S. and Israel, of course, would call him "Pakistan's PM." Would be funny if the fate of the world wasn't hanging in the balance."