Shehbaz Sharif Crops Out PM Modi To Take 'Centre Stage' In Shanghai Bloc Pic

The office of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shared a cropped version of a group photograph from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, placing him at the centre while removing several world leaders from the frame.

Pakistan PM’s office shares cropped summit image

The photograph was taken ahead of a session of the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and originally showed leaders of the member countries standing together.

The edited image shared by Sharif’s office featured Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Kyrgyz colonel Ularbeek Zarlykovich Sharsheev.

PM Modi shares original photo showing cropped leaders

However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi later shared the original photograph, which showed that Sharif was actually standing fourth from the right and that five other leaders had been cropped out of the image.

The 26th SCO Leadership Summit brought together 10 member states, 15 partner countries and two observer countries to promote dialogue and cooperation on regional and global issues.

SCO summit highlights security, connectivity and opportunity

Prime Minister Modi addressed the summit in Kyrgyzstan and highlighted measures to strengthen regional cooperation amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, which have affected global energy supplies and economies.

He called for greater cooperation based on the SCO’s three key pillars: security, connectivity and opportunity. Modi stressed the need to move beyond vision and focus on measurable outcomes.

The SCO was established in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became full members in 2017, followed by Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024.