Pakistan, being Pakistan, resorted to petty social media antics during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was cropped out of the SCO leaders’ group photograph shared by the Pakistan PMO. The cropped photo tactfully placed Shehbaz Sharif in the middle. However, the family photograph posted by PM Modi showed the full group, including Sharif.

The photograph was taken during the SCO summit in Bishkek on Tuesday, featuring leaders of the 10 member countries posing together. However, in the image posted by the Pakistan PMO, PM Modi, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and a few other leaders have been cropped out.

Moments later, amid a backlash, Sharif posted the full group photo from his personal X account.

PAKISTAN CROPS OUT MODI FROM SCO PIC

The cropped version of the photograph appeared carefully framed to place Shehbaz Sharif at the centre of the group. It sought to give the impression of Sharif occupying a more prominent position.

However, the original picture, tweeted by PM Modi, showed that it was far from reality. Sharif was, in fact, standing fourth from the right, as you can see in the above image.

It did not end there. Sharif’s official account on Facebook also cropped PM Modi out of a video showing the SCO leaders’ roundtable in Bishkek. Check the screenshot below.

Social media users, however, saw through Pakistan’s immature social media theatrics. Several also posted the full family photograph to counter Pakistan’s propaganda.

Some even edited the photo to place a “begging bowl” in Sharif’s hands – a hark back to the Pakistan PM’s earlier remark that he had to go around the world seeking financial help.

“Pakistan PM cropped the image to not show PM Modi. Meanwhile, Modi shared the full pic. Typical Pakistani mindset,” one user posted on X.

Another user, a journalist, called it a “terrible crop job”. “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,” he posted.

In contrast, PM Modi’s social media post featured the full SCO group photo, including Shehbaz Sharif.

BIG MOMENTS FROM SCO SUMMIT

Meanwhile, Sharif’s antics at the summit drew considerable attention. The Pakistani PM was seen rushing to Russian President Vladimir Putin immediately after the family photograph.

As Putin walked away from the podium, Sharif was seen stopping him by grabbing his hand and then engaging him in a conversation.

In contrast, PM Modi was seen warmly engaging with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Putin during the SCO Summit. The trio were seen shaking hands and having a brief chat – reminiscent of the 2025 SCO Summit in Tianjin, where the three leaders were seen chatting and sharing a laugh.

That photograph in 2025 broke the internet and quickly became one of the most defining images of the summit.

PM MODI TALKS TOUGH ON TERRORISM

On Tuesday, terrorism was at the heart of PM Modi’s address at the SCO Summit, even though he did not explicitly name Pakistan.

The Prime Minister emphasised that there can be no “double standards” in the fight against terrorism, and called for dismantling its entire ecosystem, including financing.

“Those countries that use terrorism as an instrument of their policy, and provide support to terrorists, must be sent a strong message that terrorism cannot be a strategic asset for anyone,” PM Modi underlined without mincing his words.

India-Pakistan relations have been at their lowest ebb following last year’s Pahalgam attack and the subsequent three-day conflict. Diplomatic ties have also reached a nadir, with India suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) unless Pakistan cracks down on cross-border terrorism.