‘Wait for me!’? Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif runs to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at SCO Summit in Bishkek: Watch viral video

A brief moment involving Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin has become one of the talking points from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek. A video from Tuesday shows Sharif quickly moving towards Putin shortly after the SCO leaders posed for their official group photograph. As Putin appeared to leave the podium, Sharif was seen reaching out and holding his hand before speaking to the Russian president.

The brief exchange has sparked attention online, with the clip prompting a playful question: “Wait for me?”



There is no indication that Sharif actually said those words. The phrase is being used to describe the hurried-looking moment captured on camera.

What happened between Shehbaz Sharif and Putin?

The interaction took place immediately after the leaders' family photograph at the SCO summit. As Putin began walking away from the podium, Sharif appeared to move towards him and briefly held his hand. The two then spoke for a short while before the interaction ended.

The moment stood out because of its timing. Several leaders had just assembled for the formal photograph, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping also sharing a brief exchange before the picture was taken. Modi had earlier greeted Putin before the photograph as well.

Modi and Putin share warm hug

Before the SCO plenary, Modi, Putin and Xi were seen together during an informal interaction. Modi and Putin exchanged greetings and shared a warm hug before walking together for the official family photograph. The three leaders were also seen speaking informally ahead of the formal proceedings.

The interactions came a day after Modi held a detailed bilateral meeting with Putin in Bishkek. During that meeting, the Indian prime minister made a fresh appeal for an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, saying that prolonged conflict was pushing humanity backwards.

“Every day spent on war pushes humanity backwards,” Modi said, calling for movement towards a peaceful resolution. Modi also stressed that peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict was not simply a matter between the two countries, but was important for the wider international community.

Not the first time Sharif-Putin moment has gone viral

The latest video has also revived memories of the previous SCO summit. At last year's SCO gathering in Beijing, a video showing Sharif watching as Modi and Putin walked past him had circulated widely online. The clip generated memes and humorous reactions on social media, with one popular comment comparing the scene to the Hindi phrase “Begani Shaadi mein Abdullah Deewana.”

A year later, Sharif was again seen making a quick approach towards Putin, this time immediately after the leaders' group photograph in Bishkek. The latest clip has therefore attracted attention beyond the summit's formal diplomatic proceedings.

What is happening at the SCO Summit?

The SCO summit has brought together leaders from major countries to discuss regional security, connectivity, economic cooperation and other issues of common interest. Modi is also scheduled to address the plenary session, where he is expected to present India's position on strengthening regional cooperation through the SCO framework. The prime minister is scheduled to hold another bilateral meeting with Putin following the summit proceedings before departing for India.