New Delhi: There was widespread backlash after Pakistan resorted to petty politics over a group photo from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek.
The leaders of 10 member nations and two special invitees posed for the customary ‘family photo’ on Tuesday, which was shared by the Indian PM on his personal X handle.
Hours later, a cropped version of the group picture was posted by the Pakistan PMO on its social media handles, leaving the Indian Prime Minister and four other leaders out of the frame.
Sharif’s official Facebook account also cropped PM Modi out of a video showing the SCO leaders’ roundtable in Bishkek.
As users on social media mocked Pakistan for the cheap act, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif went into damage control mode and shared the full group picture.
Netizens saw through Pakistan’s immature theatrics, pointing out that the cropping was done in a manner so as to place Sharif in the middle, showing his prominence in the SCO group.
“Imagine taking the SCO presidency and your very first foreign policy move is a terrible crop job. The Pakistan PMO digital team was so desperate to put Shehbaz Sharif in the centre that they edited out 5 world leaders,” one user posted.
“Typical Pakistani mindset,” observed some users.
Many users posted the full photograph to counter Pakistan’s propaganda.
Some edited the photo and placed a ‘begging bowl’ in Sharif’s hands, referring to the Pakistan PM’s earlier remark that he had to go around the world seeking financial help.
