Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was at the receiving end of social media backlash lately for his impertinent posture during his meeting with Saudi leader Nawaf bin Said al-Malki, in Islamabad.
According to the Saudi Embassy in Pakistan, the ministers met to discuss current events in the region and “examine bilateral relations between the two fraternal countries.”
In an image that has gone viral on social media, Qureshi could be seen sitting with one leg crossed and the other pointing in the direction of Al-Malki, triggering netizens into chastising the Pakistani leader for being disrespectful towards a foreign dignitary.
🚨 Saudis ‘insulted’ by Pakistan’s FM: Social media users in the Saudi Arabia slammed Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi for his posture when he received the Saudi ambassador, Nawaf bin Said al-Malki, in Islamabad.
— OSINT Updates 🚨 (@OsintUpdates) December 31, 2021
Link: https://t.co/KIOkueHuqy pic.twitter.com/eHWvUtoeGb
Social media users, especially from Saudi Arabia, were indignant with Qureshi’s lack of diplomatic etiquette during the meeting with Al-Malki, lambasting the Pakistani foreign minister for insulting the Saudi leader.
Responding to the controversy, a Twitter user remarked that regardless of whether the gesture was intentional or unintentional, had he been in the Saudi leader’s place, he would have taken commensurate steps to address the issue.
لقاء ثنائي، جمع #وزير_الخارجية_الباكستاني، بالسفير السعودي في إسلام اباد.
— غازي الحارثي | Ghazy (@Ghaazey) December 28, 2021
*متأكد بأن طريقة جلوس الوزير الباكستاني، خلت من الآداب الدبلوماسية، لكن بغض النظر إن كانت متعمدة أم لا، لو كنت بموقف سعادة السفير، سأتصرف بدبلوماسية تتناسب وقدر #السعودية في المنطقة، ولدى الباكستان بالذات. pic.twitter.com/UD9VzVuSWd
“If there is no strong reason (medical) for the Pakistani foreign minister to receive the kingdom’s ambassador in this way, then this is the height of impudence and foolishness and ignorance of the basics of diplomatic protocol,” one Twitter user said. “Frankly, if I were one of the Saudi ambassadors, I would have left.”
تصرف غير لبق وغير مدروس وغير دبلوماسي من وزير خارجية #باكستان تجاه سفير #السعودية الذي أعجب كيف سكت عن هذه الإساءة! pic.twitter.com/Qker7CMpTH
— ﮼ابتسام ﮼آل ﮼سعد ﮼﮼🇶🇦 (@Ebtesam777) December 29, 2021
Many affronted Saudis compared the “insulting” way in which Qureshi treated Al-Malki to his “polite” demeanour with other officials.
بالأمس دعمت #السعوديه_العظمى باكستان بوديعه وتمويل بقيمة 4.2 مليار دولار
— نستاهلك 🇸🇦 (@9977822) December 28, 2021
بالأخير هكذا استقبل وزير الخارجية الباكستاني السفير السعودي وهكذا تأدب في استقبال غيره ! pic.twitter.com/klA7r91ngc
Some Twitter users tagged Pakistan PM Imran Khan, asking for an apology from Pakistan’s Foreign Minister.
It’s ridiculous by FM Qureshi. How could you do this????
— urdu-blogs.com (ℙ𝕋𝕀 𝕂𝕊𝔸 𝕄ℂ#𝟙𝟙𝟛𝟛𝟙𝟟) (@pti_def) December 29, 2021
Have a look at the Saudi, he is sitting like a human. PM @ImranKhanPTI should take notice and Qureshi should oppologise for this unintentional or intentional mistake. https://t.co/1eda3N7upg
It is worth noting that the relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have turned frosty in recent years after Islamabad reportedly refused a request by Riyadh to commit troops to the Yemen war. On the other hand, Pakistan is also exasperated with Saudi Arabia’s refusal to support during the most recent Kashmir crisis with India. It had last year also removed PoK, Gilgit-Baltistan from Pakistan Map.
