Shehbaz Sharif arrives in New York for UN General Assembly session — Dawn
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in New York, United States, to attend the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. He was welcomed at the airport by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Dawn reports.
Sharif’s address to the General Assembly is scheduled for September 25. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, he will present Pakistan’s position on changes in regional and global security, emphasizing the importance of dialogue, diplomacy and the peaceful settlement of conflicts.
Session agenda
The general debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly will run from September 22 to 26, while the closing meeting is due to take place on September 28. The official theme of the session is “Restoring Trust, Transforming Governance: The UN That Works for Everyone.”
According to Dawn, the ongoing hostilities between Washington and Tehran are likely to become a prominent topic in discussions among world leaders. Issues include the security of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, regional stability and the possibility of a diplomatic resolution to the confrontation.
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The Pakistani prime minister’s office also said that Sharif will raise sustainable development, climate change, combating terrorism, Islamophobia and global economic challenges. He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with other world leaders and the UN secretary-general.
Ishaq Dar’s meetings
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in New York to take part in the session. On its sidelines, he met with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, and the sides discussed bilateral relations, the situation in Palestine and Iran, maritime shipping security and the continuity of energy supplies.
Dar also held meetings with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Palestine’s Permanent Observer to the UN, Riyad Mansour. According to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, he reaffirmed support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent, sovereign and territorially contiguous Palestinian state.
Shehbaz Sharif’s main delegation also includes senior foreign policy adviser Tariq Fatemi. Pakistan reduced the size of its delegation as part of government austerity measures.
