Pakistan PMO’s Cropped SCO Photo Sparks Political Row in India

A photograph shared by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek has triggered a political controversy after Prime Minister Narendra Modi was missing from the image.

The photograph, posted on the official social media account of the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office, showed Shehbaz Sharif alongside other leaders attending the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Kyrgyzstan on September 1. However, the image had been cropped in a way that excluded Modi as well as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and several other leaders who were present at the summit.

The unusual editing quickly drew attention in India, with political leaders criticising the decision and describing it as an unnecessary attempt to alter the visual record of an international gathering.

Modi appeared in the original photograph

The controversy became more striking when Shehbaz Sharif himself later shared the original group photograph. Unlike the version posted by the Pakistan PMO, Sharif’s image included Modi and the other leaders who had been left out of the earlier version.

Sharif’s post focused on Pakistan’s role in the SCO and its assumption of the organisation’s chairmanship for 2027. He also referred to Pakistan’s contribution to the fight against terrorism and said terrorism should be opposed in all its forms.

The appearance of the complete photograph made it clear that Modi had been physically present in the gathering and that his absence from the earlier Pakistan PMO post was the result of cropping rather than his absence from the summit.

The episode subsequently became a talking point in Indian political circles, particularly because the photograph involved leaders from several major countries participating in a multilateral organisation.

Eknath Shinde criticises Pakistan’s move

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde strongly objected to the edited image. He called the action unfortunate and argued that removing Modi from a photograph could not diminish his political significance.

Shinde also referred to Operation Sindoor while warning Pakistan against what he described as attempts to engage in such tactics with India. His remarks reflected the continuing tensions between the two countries and the broader political sensitivity surrounding India-Pakistan relations.

According to Shinde, changing a photograph could not alter the standing of Modi among Indians. He also described the Indian prime minister as one of the world's prominent political leaders.

The comments added a domestic political dimension to what began as a social media post from Pakistan's official machinery.

MJ Akbar also questions the decision

Former Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar was another prominent voice to criticise the Pakistan PMO's handling of the photograph.

Akbar argued that the decision could instead draw unwanted attention to Pakistan at an international forum. He particularly questioned why Modi had been removed while Sharif appeared prominently in the edited composition.

He also pointed out that Chinese President Xi Jinping was positioned differently in the cropped version. Akbar interpreted the editing as reflecting an underlying political insecurity and described it as behaviour that could ultimately damage Pakistan's image.

The criticism highlights how even a seemingly minor decision involving an official photograph can acquire diplomatic significance when it concerns leaders of neighbouring countries with a long history of political and security tensions.

Modi’s message at the SCO summit

The photograph controversy unfolded alongside Modi’s participation in the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek.

During his address, Modi spoke about the need for countries to respond collectively to terrorism and criticised what he described as double standards in dealing with the issue. He also addressed the ongoing conflict in West Asia, stressing that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy rather than military confrontation.

The gathering included Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping, placing the Indian prime minister in the same multilateral setting as leaders with whom India has significant geopolitical differences.

The SCO summit therefore provided an important platform for discussions involving security, terrorism and international cooperation, making the dispute over the photograph an unusual side issue surrounding a larger diplomatic event.

A small image sparks a bigger debate

The incident illustrates how official social media posts can become politically significant, particularly when they involve high-profile international meetings.

The initial Pakistan PMO image appeared to present a selective view of the SCO gathering, while Sharif’s subsequent publication of the complete photograph provided a contrasting version. The resulting reaction in India transformed the image into a subject of political debate.

For India-Pakistan relations, already marked by deep disagreements, such incidents can attract disproportionate attention. While the controversy centred on a photograph, the reactions surrounding it reflected broader arguments over the two countries’ international standing and their competing political narratives.

With the SCO bringing together leaders from across the region, the episode also demonstrated how diplomatic optics can become part of the wider political conversation. The dispute over the photograph is unlikely to alter the substance of the summit, but it has nevertheless generated considerable attention because of the prominence of the leaders involved.