In a hugely embarrassing gaffe, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi kept sitting on Friday when contingents of armed forces started marching in front of stage to present salute to President of Pakistan on the occasion of Pakistan Day parade.
President Mamnoon Hussain, the heads of the three services of Pakistan Armed Forces, the defence minister and Sri Lankan President, who specially attended the parade, all stood up when contingents of Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force, and Pakistan Navy held a march past to salute to the President of Pakistan.
But, Prime Minister Abbasi did not stand up and instead kept enjoying the drum beats played by military bands for march past by sitting in his comfortable sofa from atop the stage set for VIPs.
As Abbasi who was attending the Pakistan Day parade for the first time as prime minister, kept sitting on his seat, the chief of army staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, who was standing behind him, realised the mistake and promptly 'patted' his shoulder from behind to stand up.
Perhaps, PM Abbasi was thoroughly enjoying the march past that he forgot it is mandatory to stand up at such occasions when personnel of armed forces are presenting salute to dignitary. Following the 'patting' from the army chief, the prime minister promptly stood up in the attention pose - as per protocol.
Soon after the function was over, the video in which the army chief is seen patting the prime minister started making rounds on social media, the twitteries trolled 'memorable' moments of the prime minister.
"Seriously...the PM [Abbasi] doesn't know basics of protocol? Joker", said central PTI leader Dr Shireen Mazari, in a tweet, while commenting on the video which has gone viral on social media.
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