PM Shehbaz departs for New York to attend UN General Assembly session

Published September 22, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departs from Luton Airport in the UK for New York to attend the UN General Assembly on September 22. — Screengrab via X/@PTVNewsOfficial
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departs from Luton Airport in the UK for New York to attend the UN General Assembly on September 22. — Screengrab via X/@PTVNewsOfficial
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reaches New York to attend the high-level segment of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly from September 22 to 26, 2025. — X/@ForeignOfficePk
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reaches New York to attend the high-level segment of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly from September 22 to 26, 2025. — X/@ForeignOfficePk
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reaches New York to attend the high-level segment of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly from September 22 to 26, 2025. — X/@ForeignOfficePk
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reaches New York to attend the high-level segment of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly from September 22 to 26, 2025. — X/@ForeignOfficePk

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed from London on Monday for New York, where he will lead Pakistan’s delegation at a high-level segment of the United Nations General Assembly’s (UNGA) session.

At the UNGA session, PM Shehbaz “will urge the international community to resolve the situations of prolonged occupation and denial of the right to self-determination,” particularly in India-occupied Kashmir and Palestine, an earlier statement by the Foreign Office (FO) said.

“He will also highlight Pakistan’s perspective on the regional security situation, as well as other issues of international concern, including climate change, terrorism, Islamophobia, and sustainable development.”

The FO, in its statement, said PM Shehbaz would attend several “high-level events” on the sidelines of the UNGA session, including a moot of “select” Muslim leaders with US President Donald Trump.

Further, during his visit, he will meet several world leaders and senior UN officials to exchange views on issues of mutual interest.

“He will also underline Pakistan’s resolve to work with all UN member states to uphold the UN Charter, prevent conflict, foster peace and promote global prosperity in Pakistan’s current role as a member of the Security Council,” the FO added.

Today, Pakistan’s High Commissioner in the United Kingdom Dr Muhammad Faisal and other diplomatic staff saw the PM off at Luton Airport in the UK.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reached New York and would be accompanying PM Shehbaz at the UNGA .

“On arrival, FM Dar was received by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Shiekh, Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States and senior officials of the Mission,” the FO said on X.

“The DPM/FM will have a busy programme in New York. Besides accompanying the PM to his many engagements, the DPM/FM will represent Pakistan in numerous ministerial and high-level meetings and also hold over a dozen bilateral meetings with his counterparts,” the statement added.

As nearly 150 world leaders gather to mark the UN’s 80th anniversary, the global peace forum finds itself surrounded by protests and engulfed in wars.

From its inception, the unresolved question of Palestine has haunted the UN, testing both its credibility and its capacity to deliver peace.

A high-level international conference for the “Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution” at the UNGA, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, aims to revive support for a two-state solution.

In a break with convention, the UNGA last week voted to allow Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to address the event by video link, after the US denied him and his delegation visas to attend the meeting.

Opinion

Trouble at home

Trouble at home

The country’s strength lies in its political and economic stability, not in fleeting moments of diplomatic success.

Editorial

Pezeshkian’s visit
Updated 24 Jun, 2026

Pezeshkian’s visit

Perhaps a good place to start would be the resumption of work on the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline.
Telecom bill
24 Jun, 2026

Telecom bill

THERE is now no question about it: the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) (Amendment) Bill of 2026 is a...
Updating Islamabad
24 Jun, 2026

Updating Islamabad

ISLAMABAD is growing rapidly. Its planning, however, remains stuck in bureaucratic limbo. Despite years of ...
Unsustainable growth
Updated 23 Jun, 2026

Unsustainable growth

CLICHÉS are an essential part of political rhetoric. But when repeated often, they lose their impact. So when...
Banned speeches
23 Jun, 2026

Banned speeches

NATIONAL Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Sunday formally lifted long-standing restrictions on the airing of ...
New GB government
23 Jun, 2026

New GB government

WITH the newly elected lawmakers of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly taking oath on Monday, the PPP looks set to head...