During the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will meet with US President Donald Trump. This meeting is scheduled to take place in New York between September 22nd and 26th. Accompanying Shehbaz will be several ministers, including Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with senior officials. The meeting will include selected leaders from Muslim countries.
The Pakistani foreign office has stated that the discussions will encompass regional and international peace and security issues. Shehbaz will advocate for the resolution of longstanding issues during the talks. He will also highlight the situation in Gaza and demand action in the interest of Palestinians.
Shehbaz Sharif will also address other global issues, such as climate change, terrorism, Islamophobia, and sustainable development. He will participate in several events, including meetings of the UN Security Council (UNSC), a global development initiative meeting, and climate action-related matters. Furthermore, Shehbaz will hold bilateral meetings with various global leaders and senior UN officials.
Shehbaz Sharif will reiterate Pakistan’s commitment to the UN Charter and highlight Pakistan’s role in peace, security, and global development. The Pakistani foreign office emphasized that his participation in the UNGA will demonstrate Pakistan’s strong support for multilateralism and the UN.
This will be the first meeting between Shehbaz Sharif and Trump since Shehbaz assumed office in January of this year. Previously, Trump invited Pakistan’s army chief to the White House. The meeting is taking place amid rising tensions in the Middle East. Israel recently targeted Hamas leaders in Qatar, a move condemned by America’s allied Arab nations. Pakistan participated in the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting convened on this matter.
Following the attack in Doha, Trump had a dinner with the Prime Minister of Qatar in New York and criticized Israel. However, the US Secretary of State stated that the relationship between the US and Israel will not change. Many experts believe that the Israeli attacks on Qatar have weakened America’s credibility, as Arab countries are now looking beyond the US for their security.
Meanwhile, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a defense agreement, which states that an attack on either country will be considered an attack against both.