ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to meet US President Donald Trump on September 23 on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, according to high-level sources.
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are scheduled to host a reception dinner for heads of state and government attending the UNGA at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel on Madison Avenue on the evening of September 23, The News reported on Sunday.
PM Shehbaz has received an invitation to the dinner, which is expected to bring together several world leaders. The event will also provide the Pakistani premier an opportunity to interact with other heads of state and government, the sources said.
The anticipated meeting with Trump would be their first face-to-face interaction in seven months since the conclusion of the Board of Peace meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
Shehbaz to address UN General Assembly
The prime minister is scheduled to arrive in New York from London a day before the reception and address the UN General Assembly on September 25.
During his address, Shehbaz is expected to raise India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), citing a recent ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that rejected India’s contention on the matter.
According to the sources, several countries, in addition to Pakistan’s traditional allies, have assured Islamabad of support for its position.
The prime minister is also expected to highlight the Kashmir dispute, which Pakistan says remains a threat to regional and global peace. He will outline Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional stability and its diplomatic role in seeking a ceasefire and an end to hostilities in the Middle East.
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Counterterrorism and regional security
Shehbaz is expected to refer to the trilateral collective security arrangement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, signed in Makkah last month.
He will also brief the international community on Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts and raise concerns over what Islamabad describes as India-sponsored terrorism in Pakistan, including the alleged use of Afghan territory for such activities.
The prime minister is expected to hold several bilateral meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the UNGA session. These are expected to include Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, with whom Shehbaz is likely to hold his first meeting.
The high-level General Debate of the 81st UN General Assembly is scheduled for September 22-26 at the UN headquarters in New York. According to the schedule issued by the UN Secretariat, Shehbaz is set to be the fourth speaker during the second half of the session on September 25.
World leaders set to attend
According to the sources, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend the UNGA for the second consecutive year.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to address the General Assembly on September 24, while Afghanistan is expected to be among the final speakers on the concluding day of the session.
