ISLAMABAD; Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will represent Pakistan at the upcoming high-level segment of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York, scheduled to begin on September 22, 2025, the Foreign Office (FO) announced. He will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, senior ministers, and top officials as part of Pakistan’s delegation.
According to the FO, the prime minister will use his address at the UNGA to urge the international community to resolve long-standing conflicts rooted in occupation and denial of self-determination. Particular emphasis will be placed on the plight of the people of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine. He is expected to draw global attention to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and press for decisive international action to end the suffering of Palestinians.
The FO statement further noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz would outline Pakistan’s stance on pressing global issues, including regional security challenges, the impact of climate change, counter-terrorism, rising Islamophobia, and the pursuit of sustainable development. His participation, it said, would reaffirm Pakistan’s consistent support for multilateralism and the central role of the United Nations.
On the sidelines of the UNGA, the prime minister will take part in several high-level events, including meetings of the UN Security Council, the Global Development Initiative (GDI), and a special summit on climate action. He is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with various world leaders and senior UN officials to discuss issues of mutual concern. The FO added that Shehbaz Sharif will underscore Pakistan’s resolve to work with UN member states in advancing peace, preventing conflict, and promoting prosperity in its current capacity as a member of the Security Council.
The visit comes at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East. Earlier this month, an Israeli strike in Doha killed five senior Hamas members and a Qatari security officer, triggering widespread condemnation from Gulf allies of both Israel and the United States. The incident prompted an emergency joint meeting of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Qatar, co-sponsored by Pakistan, where Muslim leaders called for a reassessment of ties with Israel.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently met Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani in New York, attempted to balance relations amid the fallout. Analysts believe the attack has dented U.S. credibility in the region.
The prime minister’s visit follows the signing of a landmark “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh this week, under which any aggression against either country would be considered an attack on both.
