Leaders of participating nations posted the group photograph from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek on Tuesday, featuring all the heads of state. The two-day summit was held on August 31 and September 1.
However, what drew the attention of social media users was the image of the summit posted by the Pakistan Prime Minister's office. The photograph, which was cropped on both sides, left out Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and other leaders.
Deep Dive
Why was PM Modi omitted from the photo shared by the Pakistan PMO?
What was the main focus of PM Modi's address at the SCO summit regarding terrorism?
How did PM Shehbaz Sharif respond after the cropped photo incident?
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in a group photo with heads of States at the SCO Council of Heads of State Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on 1 September 2026,” the Pakistan PMO said in the post on Tuesday. However, a few hours after Pakistan PMO's post, Sharif posted the original photograph featuring all leaders.
{{/usCountry}}“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in a group photo with heads of States at the SCO Council of Heads of State Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on 1 September 2026,” the Pakistan PMO said in the post on Tuesday. However, a few hours after Pakistan PMO's post, Sharif posted the original photograph featuring all leaders.
{{/usCountry}}Prime Minister Narendra Modi also posted the entire photograph of the heads of state on his official handle on X.
Also Read | Modi-Xi bonhomie, Sharif’s quick catch-up with Putin after SCO photo op | Watch
PM Modi concludes two-nation visit
Concluding his two-nation visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, PM Modi was seen off by Adylbek Kasymaliev, chairman of the cabinet ministers of Kyrgyzstan, at the airport in Bishkek.
PM Modi started his visit on Saturday, elevating India's ties with Uzbekistan to a comprehensive strategic partnership an. Both countries inked 11 agreements to boost engagement in several key sectors, including mining and tourism, and set a target of USD 5 billion in annual trade by 2030. The Prime Minister held talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
After reaching Kyrgyzstan on Sunday for the SCO summit in Bishkek, PM Modi held bilateral meetings with Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin. PM Modi also attended the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games on Monday alongside multiple SCO leaders.
Also Read | The power frame: Modi, Xi, Putin, Sharif feature in SCO Summit group photo
PM Modi calls for ‘strong message to countries using terrorism as instrument of policy’
PM Modi on Tuesday urged SCO to confront countries using terrorism as an instrument of state policy and reject “double standards”. He said on Tuesday that the countries need to work together to dismantle the entire “ecosystem of terrorism” and its financing.
“We must dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens,” the Prime Minister said in the presence of several world leaders at the summit, of which Pakistan is a part. “Countries that use terrorism as an instrument of state policy and provide shelter and support to terrorists must receive a strong message that terrorism can never be a strategic asset,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister said all wars and conflicts around the world should be settled through dialogue and diplomacy, adding that battlefields cannot provide a solution.