Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office shared a cropped group photo from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.
The edit removed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and placed Shehbaz Sharif more centrally.
India’s side shared the full image, and Sharif later posted the unedited version.
The photo edit became a talking point amid broader India-Pakistan tensions at the summit.
Reporting also notes that Sharif approached Russian President Vladimir Putin after the photo session.
A quick read on shared facts, changing details, and different emphasis.
The reporting broadly agrees that Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office shared a cropped SCO photo that removed Modi and Pezeshkian and gave Sharif greater prominence. It also agrees that the unedited picture later appeared publicly.
What remains unsettled is the interpretation of the edit and how much diplomatic significance to attach to it, beyond the reported online backlash and criticism. Later posts or statements could further clarify the intent behind the image selection.
Swipe through the perspectives. Labels describe coverage framing, not truth or quality.
Center-leaning coverage focuses on the photo edit as a notable diplomatic moment at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. The reports say Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office shared a cropped image that removed Modi and Pezeshkian and shifted Sharif toward the center. They also note that the unedited photo later circulated, including from Sharif’s side, which made the image dispute part of the broader summit coverage. Some reports place the edit alongside wider tensions already visible in the meeting.
Right-leaning coverage emphasizes the controversy around Pakistan’s shared image and the reaction it triggered. The reporting says online critics in India treated the crop as undiplomatic, while India responded by posting the full photograph. It also highlights that Sharif later shared the unedited version, suggesting the photo dispute quickly became part of the bilateral optics. The story is framed as another India-Pakistan flashpoint at the summit.
The latest eight dated reports, from earliest to newest.
Attributed summaries from official party channels. These are claims, not independent reporting or fact checks.
Scan each source take, then open the original article.
Outlook India reports that the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office cropped Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and four other leaders from an official Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit group photograph. The edited image positioned Shehbaz Sharif closer to the centre, though Sharif later posted the uncropped photograph. The article notes that the summit also featured diplomatic tensions regarding counterterrorism and water treaties, alongside a moment where Sharif approached Russian President Vladimir Putin.
ThePrint covers the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office cropping Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian out of photos shared on X from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. The report highlights that Indian social media users and commentators criticized the edit as undiplomatic. Additionally, the article details Modi's speech warning against state-sponsored terrorism and notes the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.
Free Press Journal discusses how an edited group photograph from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit became a talking point in India-Pakistan relations. The report outlines that the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office shared a cropped version removing Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to give Sharif greater visual prominence. The article adds that Modi shared the unedited picture, and mentions viral video footage of Sharif approaching Russian President Vladimir Putin after the photo session.
The Federal details how Pakistan faced severe online backlash after its Prime Minister’s Office cropped Prime Minister Narendra Modi out of an SCO summit group photo. The article explains that the edited image left Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian out while placing Shehbaz Sharif centrally. It also notes that Modi and the Indian PMO shared the full image, and that Sharif eventually posted the uncorrected version on his personal account while commenting on Pakistan's upcoming SCO chairmanship.