New Delhi: Pakistan is having its moment in the sun, in the internet’s latest running meme. From late emails and 12-hour naps to skipped dinner and unblocked exes, the Internet has found a new all-purpose witty excuse: “at Pakistan’s request”.
What began as Donald Trump repeatedly invoking the phrase while announcing abrupt decisions on the West Asia conflict has now spiralled into a full-blown meme trend, fuelled in large part by David Keyes, a former spokesperson and adviser to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his series of posts on X.
Keyes now claims to hold the “Guinness World Records for Most Posts on X About Pakistan’s Requests in 24 hours.”
It started with Trump writing on Truth Social on 5 May that “based on the request of Pakistan and other countries”, the ‘Project Freedom’—a United States military operation launched on 4 May to escort merchant vessels through the blocked Strait of Hormuz—would be halted for a brief period to see if an agreement could be signed.
Keyes decided it was time to make it an official excuse template. He now has at least 50 tweets put out almost every hour.
This tweet should have at least 250 million views (population of Pakistan). https://t.co/UugdBA8imo
— David Keyes (@DavidMKeyes) May 9, 2026
“Trump just referred to Pakistan’s Field Marshal, Asim Munir, as fantastic. Only question is: did Pakistan request that?”
“Why did the chicken cross the road? Because Pakistan requested it.”
Keyes, jokingly, even linked it to his grandfather’s last wish. “I’ll never forget my grandfather’s last words to me. He looked at me from his hospital bed and said, his voice shaking with emotion, ‘David, whatever you do, do what Pakistan requests’.”
“I was going to eat dinner. But at Pakistan’s request, I’ve decided to starve myself this evening,” Finnish podcaster Chico Muya wrote on X.
I was going to eat dinner. But at Pakistans request, I’ve decided to starve myself this evening.
— Chico Muya (@chico_ray) May 7, 2026
Soon enough, others, including the Pakistanis, joined in.
There were AI images of the phrase too, and the Internet started “petitions” to make “the Request of Pakistan” a new proverb/saying for when one is expected to do something but cannot, so they pretend that they are not doing it out of kindness/niceness.
“Examples of usage: I was going to finish the project, but at the request of Pakistan, I did not,” wrote an X user.
An out-of-office autoreply posted by Israeli entrepreneur Eli David says he was unavailable “unless asked by Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir”.
“Thank you for your email. I would have loved to respond promptly, but at the request of Pakistan, I am on vacation. I will get back to you within 48 hours, or next week, or later if asked by Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir,” he wrote on X.
Soon, absurdity joined wit: Why was traffic bad? Pakistan requested it. Why did your ex text at 2 a.m.? Pakistan requested it. Why did America suspend another military operation halfway through? Well, Pakistan requested it.
An X user, who goes by the handle @Savakzadeh and shares updates and news on the exiled Crown Prince of Iran Reza Pahlavi, wrote, “By request of Pakistan, I sold the house, divorced my wife, bought a Corvette convertible, and am now road-tripping with my high school sweetheart.”
By request of Pakistan, I sold the house, divorced my wife, bought a Corvette convertible, and am now road-tripping with my high school sweetheart.
— Savakzadeh (@Savakzadeh) May 8, 2026
Pakistanis, known for their quintessential Punjabi humour, took it in their stride and when Keyes held an online poll on whether he should continue, they unanimously voted Yes.
“Many people think it’s unserious that I post jokes about Pakistan all day. But I’m a very serious person. Little known fact: I was TIME MAGAZINE’S PERSON OF THE YEAR IN 2006,” Keyes, who was ousted from office in 2018 over sexual harassment allegations, offered a disclaimer.
“That too, at Pakistan’s Request?” asked a Pakistani.
Pakistan has been trying to broker a lasting peace in the region since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February. Islamabad has already hosted one round of talks between Washington and Tehran as part of its mediation efforts.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: Pakistani memes are ready, JD Vance