New York, September 23, 2025: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in New York to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where he is set to deliver Pakistan’s address and hold a series of high-level engagements, including a multilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump and leaders of key Muslim countries.
The premier, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with senior ministers and officials, landed in New York on Monday and is leading Pakistan’s delegation to the UNGA’s high-level segment that begins today (Tuesday).
According to the Foreign Office, Shehbaz will participate in a meeting between President Trump and leaders of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, and Indonesia. The discussion is expected to focus on Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the session, while Axios reported that Trump will table a proposal on Gaza’s post-war governance, calling for Arab and Muslim countries to contribute military forces for stabilization and to finance reconstruction programs.
The UNGA session comes against the backdrop of Israel’s devastating military campaign in Gaza, which has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, displaced the enclave’s entire population, and triggered warnings of famine. Rights experts, scholars, and a UN inquiry have characterized the situation as genocide.
Pakistan’s agenda at the UNGA
In his address to the UNGA, PM Shehbaz will highlight Pakistan’s stance on global peace and security, with a particular focus on Palestine and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). He is expected to urge the international community to end long-standing occupations and ensure the right to self-determination for both peoples.
“The prime minister will draw attention to the grave crisis in Gaza and call for decisive international action to end the suffering of Palestinians,” the FO said in a statement.
The premier is also scheduled to raise Pakistan’s perspective on regional security, climate change, terrorism, Islamophobia, and sustainable development.
Diplomatic engagements
On the sidelines of the UNGA, PM Shehbaz will meet Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, Kuwaiti Crown Prince and Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, as well as the heads of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He will attend the Global Development Initiative meeting, a Special High-Level Event on Climate Action, and other forums, in addition to participating in UN Security Council-level discussions.
The Foreign Office added that the premier will hold bilateral talks with several world leaders and senior UN officials to exchange views on mutual concerns.
Pakistan’s position on Palestine
Meanwhile, Pakistan has welcomed recent recognition of the State of Palestine by France, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Portugal, and others.
Speaking at a high-level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar called on countries that have yet to recognise Palestine to do so in line with international law.
Pakistan also endorsed the conference’s New York Declaration, underscoring its long-standing support for a two-state solution.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza and calls for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire, as well as unimpeded humanitarian access to the besieged population,” the FO said.
Reaffirming Islamabad’s unwavering solidarity with Palestinians, the ministry reiterated Pakistan’s backing for the establishment of an independent, viable, and contiguous Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, in accordance with UN and OIC resolutions.
