Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in New York on Monday to participate in the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where the Palestine issue and the Gaza crisis are expected to dominate discussions.
According to the Foreign Office (FO), Pakistan’s delegation will be led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who will address the high-level segment of the session scheduled from September 22 to 26.
Upon his arrival, Dar was welcomed by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Ambassador to the United States, and senior officials from the mission.
The FO stated that Dar will have a busy schedule in New York, including attending high-level meetings, accompanying the Prime Minister to his engagements, and holding more than a dozen bilateral meetings with his counterparts.
This year’s UNGA session marks the 80th anniversary of the UN, with nearly 150 world leaders in attendance. However, the gathering is overshadowed by ongoing wars and widespread protests.
The unresolved Palestinian issue continues to test the credibility of the global peace forum. A major highlight will be an international conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia on the peaceful settlement of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution.
In a rare move, the UNGA allowed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to address the session via video link after the US denied visas to him and his delegation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his address, will call for the resolution of the Kashmir and Palestine disputes, stressing the right to self-determination for oppressed peoples.
He will also highlight Pakistan’s stance on Gaza, urging decisive international action, while drawing attention to issues such as climate change, terrorism, Islamophobia, and sustainable development. Additionally, PM Shehbaz will join a select group of Muslim leaders in a meeting with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines.
