New Delhi/ Bishkek, September 1, 2026

 Pakistan was left red-faced after its Prime Minister’s Office posted a cropped version of the official SCO group photograph that excluded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other leaders. It later shared the complete image following strong criticism on social media.

The controversy erupted after leaders attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit posed for the customary photograph in Bishkek. The image posted by the Pakistan PMO kept Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in focus but left Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian outside the frame.

Social media users quickly compared the post with the official photograph. The original image showed Prime Minister Narendra Modi standing with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pezeshkian and other leaders.

Several users accused Pakistan of deliberately cropping the photograph to remove the Indian Prime Minister. The complete picture was widely circulated in response, forcing the Pakistan PMO to restore the original group image.

The episode came at an embarrassing moment for Sharif. Pakistan had joined other SCO members in adopting the Bishkek Declaration, which marked the organisation’s 25th anniversary and reaffirmed a collective stand against terrorism.

The declaration condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It also called for action against the financing, harbouring and sponsoring of terrorism. Pakistan’s endorsement of the declaration was already being viewed against India’s consistent concerns over cross-border terrorism. The photograph controversy further exposed the gap between Islamabad’s multilateral messaging and its approach towards India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier warned the summit against double standards in dealing with terrorism. He said countries providing shelter and support to terrorists must be given a clear message. He also called for coordinated action against terror financing, radicalisation and cross-border terrorism. His remarks placed accountability at the centre of the SCO’s security agenda, with Sharif present at the meeting.

The controversy also unfolded amid warm exchanges between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Putin and Xi. Their handshake and brief interaction emerged as one of the defining images of the summit.

India has not officially reacted to Pakistan’s cropped photograph. However, Islamabad’s quick reversal turned what appeared to be an attempt to shape the summit’s visual narrative into a diplomatic embarrassment. Instead of pushing India out of the frame, the episode drew greater attention to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s prominent presence at Bishkek.