Ishaq Dar Arrives in New York for UN General Assembly Session
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has arrived in New York to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), scheduled from September 21 to 25.
The Foreign Office said on Monday that Dar will take part in several high-level meetings and represent Pakistan at ministerial forums during the UNGA week.
According to the Foreign Office, Dar will deliver Pakistan’s statements and participate in discussions on bilateral, regional and international matters included on the UN agenda.
Dar is also expected to accompany Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is scheduled to arrive in New York later this week. The two officials are expected to hold bilateral meetings with foreign counterparts and attend various high-level events on the sidelines of the General Assembly.
Dar’s Meetings and Engagements
Upon his arrival in New York, Dar was received by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Ambassador to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Pakistan’s Consul General in New York Aamer Ahmad Atozai, along with officials from Pakistan’s UN mission and consulate.
During his visit, Dar is scheduled to attend a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir. The Foreign Office said he will present Pakistan’s position on the issue and its stated support for the right to self-determination of Kashmiris.
The foreign minister is also scheduled to participate in several meetings focused on the situation in Palestine. These include a meeting involving eight Arab and Islamic countries and a ministerial gathering of the global alliance supporting implementation of the two-state solution.
Focus on AI and Regional Cooperation
Dar is also expected to speak at a high-level United Nations Security Council briefing on artificial intelligence.
Another important engagement on his schedule is a meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organisation’s Council of Ministers, which he will chair.
The Pakistani delegation attending this year’s UNGA has been reduced as part of the government’s austerity measures.
Dar and senior foreign-policy adviser Tariq Fatemi are expected to form the core of the prime minister’s delegation, while several federal ministers who were initially expected to travel are no longer part of the visit.
