Putin Leaves Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif Waiting for 40 Minutes at Turkmenistan Summit
Frustrated Pakistan PM Allegedly ‘Gatecrashes’ Putin-Erdogan Closed-Door Meeting After Prolonged Delay; Incident Highlights Islamabad’s Diminishing Global Standing
Pakistan’s PM Left Waiting at International Forum
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif faced a significant diplomatic embarrassment on Friday at the International Forum on Peace and Trust in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Premier Sharif and his delegation, including Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, were reportedly made to wait for approximately 40 minutes for a scheduled bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The unusual and prolonged delay, captured by foreign media, quickly became a point of discussion in diplomatic circles.
The incident underscores the continuing complexity of Pakistan’s efforts to deepen its relationship with Moscow. Despite Islamabad’s keen interest in securing energy and defence deals from Russia—a crucial objective given Pakistan’s current economic instability—President Putin’s public display of diplomatic priority appears to firmly favor Pakistan’s rival, India, following his highly successful recent visit to New Delhi.
‘Gatecrash’ Incident Leads to Awkward Exit
The situation escalated when, growing visibly impatient after the 40-minute wait, Prime Minister Sharif took the undiplomatic decision to interrupt an ongoing, closed-door bilateral meeting between President Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Reports from Russian state media and other international sources indicate that Sharif’s foray into the high-level talks was short-lived. He remained in the meeting for only about 10 minutes before making an abrupt departure, having failed to secure the private, dedicated bilateral interaction he had traveled to Turkmenistan for. Social media in the region quickly dubbed the maneuver a “gatecrash,” highlighting the perceived lack of diplomatic etiquette on the global stage.
A Pattern of Diplomatic Snubs
The incident is the latest in a recurring series of awkward and often-trolled encounters between the Pakistani Prime Premier and the Russian leader. In previous summits, Sharif garnered viral attention for his repeated struggle with translation headphones, a sight that reportedly drew visible amusement from President Putin.
For analysts, the latest episode in Ashgabat solidifies the narrative of a widening diplomatic gap, juxtaposed sharply against the backdrop of the recently concluded, warm, and productive annual summit between President Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India. The public nature of the 40-minute wait and the ensuing diplomatic blunder reinforces the geopolitical reality that Pakistan is currently struggling to be recognized as a key strategic partner by Moscow, further complicating its complex regional balancing act.