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Politics
Pakistan PMO Crops Modi from SCO Photo, Sparks Indian Backlash
✍️ Hindustan Times
🗓 02 Sep 2026, 12:51 PM
👁 17
The Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office removed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi from a Shanghai Cooperation Organization photo, leading to criticism from Indian leaders and a warning from the Pakistani government.
During a recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, a photograph that originally featured Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi alongside Pakistani officials was altered by the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to exclude Modi’s image. The change was quickly noticed by Indian media and political figures.
Indian political leaders, including Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, condemned the act as a sign of Pakistan’s insecurity and a disrespectful gesture towards India. Shinde described the cropping as a symbolic attempt to diminish India’s role in the SCO.
In response, the Pakistani government issued a formal warning to the PMO, stating that the alteration violated diplomatic norms and could strain bilateral relations. The incident has heightened tensions between the two countries and prompted calls for clearer guidelines on the use of official photographs in international forums.
Indian political leaders, including Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, condemned the act as a sign of Pakistan’s insecurity and a disrespectful gesture towards India. Shinde described the cropping as a symbolic attempt to diminish India’s role in the SCO.
In response, the Pakistani government issued a formal warning to the PMO, stating that the alteration violated diplomatic norms and could strain bilateral relations. The incident has heightened tensions between the two countries and prompted calls for clearer guidelines on the use of official photographs in international forums.