'Pakistan's name could be removed from the world map', Pak PMO warned for removing PM Modi from SCO photo
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International diplomacy often witnesses elaborate protocols, yet bizarre digital missteps can reduce nations to global laughing stocks overnight. The Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) recently invited sharp condemnation and widespread ridicule across India and international forums following a deeply immature social media blunder. In an apparent attempt to alter optics from a high-profile diplomatic gathering, the Pakistan PMO cropped out Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the official Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) group photo. The childish move triggered furious political reactions in India, with senior leaders and prominent voices warning Islamabad against such petty antics while highlighting the deep-seated insecurities plaguing the neighboring nation's governance.
The SCO Summit Photo Controversy and Subsequent Backlash
The controversy erupted when the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of the Pakistan Prime Minister's Office shared a group photograph of world leaders captured during the SCO summit held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. To the astonishment of observers, the published image was heavily cropped on both sides to intentionally edit out several prominent global figures, most notably Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. However, realizing the diplomatic absurdity and global embarrassment the edited post triggered, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's camp scrambled to contain the damage hours later, posting the original, unedited photograph showing all world leaders standing together. Despite the retraction, the damage was already done, and the internet seized upon the childish censorship attempt.
Eknath Shinde Slams Pakistan's Petty Antics
Weighing in heavily on the controversy, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde launched a blistering attack on Islamabad, warning that such cosmetic digital tricks cannot diminish the stature of a global leader. Addressing the media, Shinde remarked, "What Pakistan has done is extremely unfortunate. Pakistan has always indulged in such petty actions. However, I would say that even though they have removed Modi ji's photo from a frame, if Prime Minister Modi so desires, he can completely erase Pakistan from the world map." Invoking past decisive actions like Operation Sindoor, Shinde cautioned Islamabad against testing India's patience. He added emphatically that cropping out a photograph can never erase Prime Minister Modi from the affection and respect of 1.4 billion Indians, pointing out that Modi remains universally recognized as one of the most powerful and popular leaders on the global stage.
MJ Akbar Calls the Move Evidence of a Deep-Seated Inferiority Complex
Echoing similar sentiments, former Minister of State for External Affairs and veteran author M.J. Akbar dissected the psychological state behind the Pakistan PMO's action, labeling it as a classic symptom of an acute inferiority complex. Akbar noted that such juvenile stunts invariably turn Pakistan into the butt of jokes at international diplomatic conferences. "Censoring a photograph is the absolute height of absurdity because if you examine the altered image closely, not only was our Prime Minister removed as if he never existed, but the Pakistani Prime Minister was bizarrely centered while Chinese President Xi Jinping was sidelined," Akbar observed. He concluded that this kind of excessive posturing reflects a recurring pattern of absurd behavior born out of deep-seated national frustration.
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