Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi received massive backlash on Wednesday after pictures showing a helper standing behind him with an umbrella surfaced on social media. During a meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi was criticised for not holding his own umbrella and requiring additional help to carry it.
“Russian Foreign Minister will hold his umbrella but the Pakistani Foreign Minister needs an official helper to hold it for him,” tweeted journalist and reporter Rauf Klasra.
“Multani Pir needs somebody else to hold an umbrella for him,” said Editor of Nayadaur Media, Murtaza Solangi.
Another Twitter user referred to the Foreign Minister’s action as “a crying shame”.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday on the Russian Presidential Squadron aircraft. This is his first visit to Pakistan since 2012.
Addressing a joint press conference with Lavrov in Islamabad, Qureshi said the talks with his Russian counterpart had been very productive and covered “practically everything.”
“We are keen to build a strong, multi-dimensional relationship with Russia,” he said, adding that it will be approached with a new mindset.
“We feel Russia is a factor of stability in the region and global stage,” he said.
He said Pakistan intends to build a relationship of trust with Russia, and their relations are continuously improving. In strengthening ties, the “sky is the limit,” he added.
