Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif Sparks Laughter Riot on the Internet with ‘Kind Gesture’ at France Meet – News18

A video of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Paris went viral on social media this week, leaving Pakistan’s netizens divided. Shehbaz Sharif is attending the two-day New Global Financing Pact Summit in Paris and reached Paris on Thursday for the meeting.

When he arrived at Palais Brongniart to attend the summit amid heavy rains, a female official held up an umbrella to guide the Pakistan Prime Minister to the event venue.

However, Sharif said something to the female official and took the umbrella himself and walked to the event venue – leaving the woman without an umbrella in the heavy rain.

The video clip, shared by none other than the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office’s Twitter account, garnered hilarious reactions from Pakistanis following the event.

While some applauded Shehbaz Sharif’s down-to-earth attitude, others pointed out that in the process of appearing nice and down-to-earth, he left the female official without an umbrella amid the rains, resulting in her getting drenched.

Some Pakistani netizens even said that the behaviour was an “embarrassment” and urged their Prime Minister to stick to the protocol next time.

In Paris, Sharif met International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva and told her that Pakistan “keenly looks forward” to IMF’s “approval for the 9th review at the earliest”.

“It was a pleasure to meet you & have a productive exchange of views on the IMF’s continued engagement with Pakistan. The government is fully committed to the ongoing Extended Fund Facility (EFF). Though all prior actions for the 9th Review have been completed, we are willing to take further steps jointly with the IMF. Pakistan keenly looks forward to IMF Board’s approval for the 9th Review at the earliest,” Sharif said after meeting the IMF managing director.

“Very pleased to meet Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif on the margins of the Paris Summit. We had a fruitful discussion on how the IMF can continue to work closely with Pakistan on policies to maintain macroeconomic stability and advance inclusive growth for the Pakistani people,” Georgieva said.