In what is being seen as a humiliation, German Development Minister Svenja Schulze was asked to hand over her bag for checking by security staff at Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's residence in Islamabad.
According to reports, on Thursday, German Minister Svenja Schulze arrived for a meeting with the Pakistani Prime Minister, but his security staff demanded that she hand over her bag.
Surprised by the request, Schulze turned around and walked back towards her car.However, she was later allowed to enter without her bag being checked.
A video of the incident has since gone viral on the internet.
The video has attracted reactions from users. One user poked fun at the incident, saying, "On a lighter note: The German Minister hesitated to give her handbag to the Pakistani Prime Minister’s security detail because she probably knew she wouldn’t get it back."
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German media reports that prior to the meeting, the German delegation had detailed discussions with Pakistani security. Schulze had requested to bring a photographer, but this was denied by the Pakistani side. However, when she was asked to leave her bag behind, it crossed a line for her, nearly leading to the cancellation of the meeting and a potential diplomatic crisis.
Later, PM Sharif hosted Schulze for dinner, with nearly his entire cabinet in attendance.
After the meeting, Svenja Schulze posted on X, stating that she had a fruitful conversation with the Pakistani Prime Minister about the challenges and opportunities facing Pakistan. "Germany and Pakistan share a long-standing and close partnership, with a focus on climate change, a sustainable economy, and fair jobs," she wrote.
It's worth noting that Germany plays a crucial role in Pakistan’s struggling economy, being a significant export destination for goods like textiles, leather products, sports equipment, and medical instruments. The meeting was particularly significant as Schulze was the first senior Western government official to visit Pakistan since their recent elections in February.
