RT India deleted and later issued a clarification about an X post regarding Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during an international forum in Turkmenistan, after the claims we're exposed as false. 

The controversy began when RT India posted a video claiming to show Prime Minister Sharif waiting for almost forty minutes to see President Putin before joining the Russian leader and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a meeting. The post claimed Sharif remained in the meeting for approximately 10 minutes before leaving.

The tweet was later deleted, with RT India issuing a clarification on X (Formerly twitter) stating:

“We deleted an earlier post about Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif waiting to meet Vladimir Putin at the Peace and Trust Forum in Turkmenistan. The post may have been a misrepresentation of the events.”

The incident occurred on the International Forum dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust in Ashgabat, which brought together several global leaders, including Putin, Erdogan, and Sharif.

Reports state that after their delegations exiled the room, Presidents Putin and Erdogan were holding talks in a restricted format. 

Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported that Prime Minister Sharif later joined the meeting, having initially expected a separate discussion with President Putin in another room.

Pakistani media reported that Sharif interacted with both leaders and discussed issues of bilateral and regional importance. During the visit, the prime minister also met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Following the forum, Prime Minister Sharif posted on X about his meeting with President Erdogan, describing him as a “time-tested and trusted friend of Pakistan.” He said the two leaders reaffirmed cooperation in trade, energy, defense, connectivity, and investment, and exchanged views on regional and global developments, including Gaza and Afghanistan.

The RT India post triggered reactions from several Pakistani political figures and commentators on X. Many accounts that are sympathetic to PTI used the now-deleted false news to score political points. 

Former accountability adviser Mirza Shahzad Akbar wrote: 

“From an orderly PM to an international gate crasher….”

PTI leader Dr Shehbaz Gill posted: “What a shameful and mannerless man, unfortunately representing our great Pakistan. The Pakistani nation deserves better leadership. Shahbaz Sharif has always been socially backward. Being the middle brother among siblings, often ignored by parents, may lead him to such silly acts.”

RT India’s clarification acknowledged that its initial post may not have accurately reflected the sequence of events.