Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's office sparked controversy after sharing a cropped version of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders' group photograph, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other leaders missing from the frame.
The photograph was taken during the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Tuesday, where leaders of the member countries gathered for the traditional family photograph.
PM Modi cropped out of Pakistan's version
The image shared by the Pakistan Prime Minister's Office appeared to place Shehbaz Sharif prominently at the centre of the frame. However, the original photograph shared by PM Modi showed the complete group of leaders, including Sharif.
According to the original photograph, Sharif was standing fourth from the right, while PM Modi and several other leaders were also visible in the frame. The Pakistan PM's official Facebook account also shared a cropped version of a video from the SCO leaders' roundtable, in which PM Modi was removed from the frame.
The edited photograph quickly drew reactions on social media, with users sharing the original image to highlight the difference between the two versions. Some users criticised the Pakistan PMO's handling of the photograph, while others described the editing as an attempt to give Sharif greater prominence.
Modi, Putin and Xi share a moment
The SCO summit also saw a brief interaction between PM Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the group photograph.
The three leaders were seen smiling and shaking hands as they exchanged a few words before posing for the official photograph. The moment drew attention because of the significance of India's engagement with Russia and China at the summit.
Sharif was later seen approaching Putin after the group photograph. The Pakistani Prime Minister stopped the Russian leader as he walked away from the podium and engaged him in a brief conversation.
PM Modi focuses on terrorism
Terrorism featured prominently in PM Modi's address at the SCO Summit. While he did not directly name Pakistan, he stressed that there should be no double standards in the fight against terrorism.
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif posts edited Photo from the SCO Summit, crops out Iran President and Indian PM.
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) September 1, 2026
Why does Pakistan hate Iran and India so much? https://t.co/Ole4gk5cP1
Modi called for the dismantling of the entire ecosystem supporting terrorism, including its financing. He said countries that use terrorism as an instrument of policy and support terrorists must receive a clear message that terrorism cannot be treated as a strategic asset.
The latest developments come amid strained India-Pakistan relations following the Pahalgam attack and the subsequent conflict. Diplomatic tensions between the two countries remain high.
