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.