ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reached London for a two-day stopover before proceeding to the United States to attend the high-level segment of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

According to a source in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the premier would proceed to the US on Saturday to attend the UNGA session.

The source said the prime minister was likely to return to the country on Sept 27 or 28 after attending the UNGA session and would again stop over in London for a day or two.

“In fact, travelling from Pakistan to the US is quite a long journey, therefore, PM Shehbaz opted to stay somewhere, preferably in London,” the source added.

According to the Foreign Office, Prime Minister Shehbaz is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Sept 25.

“On the sidelines of the UN session, he is expected to hold bilateral meetings with world leaders and participate in high-level events,” the FO said.

The prime minister will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, federal ministers and senior government officials during the New York leg of the visit.

“The premier will present Pakistan’s perspective on regional and global developments and highlight the country’s priorities at the UNGA,” it said.

The official theme of the 81st session is ‘Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All’, and the UNGA debate is expected to run from Sept 22 to 26, with a final sitting on Sept 28.

However, ongoing fighting between Washington and Tehran is expected to feature prominently in discussions among world leaders, particularly over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, regional stability and the possibility of finding a diplomatic way out of the confrontation.

The premier is expected to highlight Pakistan’s efforts to find a peaceful solution to the ongoing US-Iran war.