PAKISTAN prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has faced a backlash on Twitter for being less chivalrous towards a woman attendant and allegedly snatching an umbrella from her in the rain to cover himself after reaching Paris for the two-day Global Financing Pact.
In a video which went viral, the 71-year-old leader, who was wearing a dark-colour suit, was seen getting off the car with the woman attendant holding the umbrella over his head. But after walking a few steps, the prime minister seemed to have snatched the umbrella from her and walked straight towards the cover at Palais Brongniart where the summit took place, leaving her looking confused and in the rain.
Sharif was then received by Catherine Colonna, France’s minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
The Pakistani leader is at the summit to make a last-ditch effort to get money that has been withheld released before the expiry of the credit line. Other world leaders such as Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, French president Emmanuel Macron and Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi were also among the attendees. From India, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman was present. However, more than the business end, it was the bizarre 'umbrella-snatching' act of Sharif amid a downpour in Paris that made the headlines more.
Netizens were little impressed with the act and slammed Sharif particularly for the way he treated the woman. Here are some reactions:
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