PM Shehbaz leads Pakistan at UNGA, scheduled for key meeting with President Trump

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif will attend a meeting of Muslim leaders with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York next week.

In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) confirmed the first direct talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz and President Donald Trump. Trump hosted Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal General Syed Asim Munir, the first time a Pakistani military chief has visited the White House without senior civilian officials.

The Foreign Office said Prime Minister Sharif will also attend a meeting of selected Islamic leaders with President Trump to discuss regional and international peace and security issues.

During his visit, the Prime Minister will lead a delegation to the high-level segment of the UNGA starting September 22, accompanied by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, other ministers and senior officials.

At the Assembly, Sharif will urge world leaders to resolve long-standing conflicts and uphold the right to self-determination, especially in Indian-occupied Kashmir and Palestine. He will also highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and call for decisive action to end the suffering of the Palestinian people.

He will also exchange views on regional security and global issues, including climate change, terrorism, Islamophobia and the Sustainable Development Goals.

He will attend several high-level events on the sidelines of the UNGA, including the UN Security Council meetings, the Global Development Initiative (GDI) session, and a special event on Climate Action. He will also meet with world leaders and senior UN officials and discuss issues of mutual interest.

The visit highlights Islamabad’s commitment to multilateralism and its ongoing contribution to global peace, stability and development, particularly in its current role as a member of the UN Security Council.

President Trump’s meeting comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East. Israel carried out an airstrike in the Qatari city of Doha, killing five Hamas leaders and a Qatari security official. The attack drew widespread condemnation, including from Gulf allies of the United States, and prompted an emergency meeting of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in support of Pakistan’s support. The summits called for steps to prevent further Israeli actions against the Palestinians.

Following the incident, President Trump met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani in New York and made cautious comments amid rising tensions between the United States, Israel and Arab countries.