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Published 01 Jan, 2022 11:16am

Twitter slams Shah Mehmood Qureshi for sitting "inappropriately" with Saudi ambassador

An image of Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi from his meeting with Saudi leader Nawaf bin Said al-Malki in Islamabad has gone viral on social media, with users criticizing the minister for his impertinent posture.

According to the Saudi Embassy in Pakistan, the two had met to discuss the current events in the region and to examine the bilateral relations between the two “fraternal countries.”

In the photo that was widely shared on social media, Qureshi is seen sitting on a sofa with his foot pointing in the direction of the Saudi ambassador.

Many users found this disrespectful and rude.

Users also criticized the foreign minister for not knowing the diplomatic norms.

Journalist Hamid Mir called it “undiplomatic and discourteous.”

While most people found the minister’s posture offensive, this user had the exact opposite reaction.

Saudi Arabia has been one Pakistan’s strongest ally in the past, in the recent years however, the relationship became a bit strained after Pakistan urged Saudi Arabia to take a firmer stance on the human rights violations taking place in Indian-Occupied Kashmir.

Interestingly, Iran's state affiliated state media shared the image saying Saudis, traditionally seen as Iran's rivals, were irked.

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