PM Shehbaz is addressing 81st UNGA session

On Friday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. According to Pakistan’s Mission at the UN, the prime minister will articulate Pakistan’s outlook on the current regional and global security landscape, emphasizing dialogue, diplomacy, restraint, and peaceful dispute resolution.

These principles have long been integral to Pakistan’s foreign policy, guiding its stance during its current tenure on the UN Security Council. The prime minister will also highlight Pakistan’s objectives in areas such as sustainable development, climate change, counter-terrorism, Islamophobia, global economic challenges, UN reform, and Sustainable Development Goals.

Special attention will be given to the Global South, advocating for enhanced cooperation on interconnected development, economic, climate, and security issues confronting developing nations. He will also draw attention to the enduring occupation and denial of self-determination in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine, asserting that these matters must be addressed in accordance with pertinent Security Council resolutions.

Arriving in New York on Monday, the prime minister was greeted by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, and other mission officials. He was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar throughout his visit. On Tuesday, he participated in the UNGA's opening session, where US President Donald Trump hailed him as a "terrific man" in reference to the May 2025 Pakistan-India conflict.

On Wednesday, PM Shehbaz spoke at the 40th anniversary session of the Declaration on the Right to Development, advocating for the reform of the international financial system, addressing debt distress, and supporting climate adaptation and loss-and-damage financing. During the event, he met with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, discussing Pakistan's transition from macroeconomic stabilization to economic recovery and the upcoming IMF program review.

He also met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, among others, focusing on GSP Plus for Pakistan's economy, polio eradication, and agricultural reforms.

In a statement to the media, PM Shehbaz expressed Islamabad's hope for de-escalation between the United States and Iran. On Thursday, he met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to discuss regional dynamics and bilateral relations, as well as a delegation of Pakistani youth professionals seeking investment opportunities in Pakistan.