Samarkand (Uzbekistan) : Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif became a laughing stock among social media users after he was seen struggling with headphones during bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The video shared by the Russian state-owned news agency RIA shows Putin laughing as Shehbaz struggles with the headphones.
The video was also shared by former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI). It also showed that Shehbaz was asking an aide for help, however even after the aide's assistance, his headphones dropped once again. A PTI member said that Shehbaz is a "constant embarrassment" for Pakistan.
Another picture shared by Qasim Khan Suri, former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and Balochistan's Provincial President of PTI took a dig at Shehbaz's delegation comprising Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif who were "sitting idly like a beggar."
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He made the statement after Shehbaz tweeted, "It was a long but productive day in Samarkand. In my meetings with leaders of our friendly countries, we agreed on enhancing trade & investment. I explained the flood ravages due to climate change. Food & energy shortages present a real challenge to our shared development agenda."
In response, Suri tweeted, "But in the picture, one party is writing a note and the other is sitting idly like a beggar."
PM Shehbaz is on a two-day visit to Uzbekistan to attend the SCO summit. Both leaders discuss the Pakistan Stream gas project, reported Geo News. Putin said on Thursday that pipeline gas supplies to Pakistan are possible, and that part of the necessary infrastructure is already in place, Russian state-owned news agency RIA reported.
President Putin and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met today on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The high-level meeting came after the prime minister reached the Uzbekistan capital to attend the annual meeting of the SCO's Council of Heads of State (CHS) during a two-day visit -- from September 15 to 16.
After the meeting with Putin, the prime minister held a bilateral meeting with Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon, reported Geo News. The two leaders held wide-ranging talks covering all aspects of mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation, including regional and international issues. The prime minister thanked Tajikistan for its support to the flood affectees in Pakistan and shared details of the devastation caused by the massive floods, induced by climate change, reported Geo News.
Later, the prime minister held a bilateral meeting with the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The two leaders exchanged views on Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations and regional and international issues. During the meeting, the leaders discussed trade, economic relations, and regional connectivity through rail, road and seaports.
The PM underscored the significance of enhancing political ties and fast-tracking trade and economic cooperation by fully operationalising the Uzbekistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (UPTTA) and Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), reported Geo News.
The two leaders agreed to early convening of the Inter-Governmental Commission to formulate specific proposals and projects to further deepen and broaden Pakistan-Uzbekistan cooperation across the entire spectrum. After that, the prime minister also met President Sadyr Zhaparov to discuss views on growing bilateral relations.
During the meeting, PM Shehbaz stressed the importance of urgent global action to address the threat of climate change and the need for support from countries like Pakistan that had virtually no contribution to carbon emissions.
PM Shehbaz expressed gratitude to the country for hosting more than 11,000 Pakistani students in medical universities, hoping that the Kyrgyz government will continue to facilitate them and ensure their safety and security during the period of their educational stay in the country. (ANI)
