LAHORE - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday departed for the United States to attend the 79th session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) set to take place from September 23-27, 2024 in New York.
In his address at the UN General Assembly, the prime minister will reaffirm Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to multilateralism and express support for the role of the United Nations in forging global peace, security, and prosperity.
He will also emphasize the importance of addressing long-standing issues on the agenda of the UN Security Council, including the question of Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir. In his social media post on X before his departure, the prime minister said he looked forward to a busy week full of engagements.
“During our interactions, we will take up global issues, promoting peace, development and climate action. Will represent Pakistan’s perspective to the world, advocate our interests and strengthen international partnerships,” he added.
During his participation in the UNGA session, the prime minister will also attend several high-level meetings on the sidelines of the UNGA session, including the High-level Meeting on Existential Threats Posed by Sea-level Rise and the UN Security Council’s Open Debate on Leadership for Peace.
Earlier, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch in a statement informed that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar will not proceed to New York to participate in the UNGA session due to important diplomatic commitments and preparations for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit to be held in Islamabad.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday called for fostering peace and stability in the region through dialogues.
“To effectively achieve this end, it is essential to resolve the longstanding disputes,” he said in a message on the occasion of the International Day of Peace. He emphasized that the foundation for any lasting resolution in the region hinged solely on one critical factor: achieving a fair and just settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute peacefully through an impartial plebiscite and relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.
“As we contemplate the significance of peace, we must not overlook the plight of the innocent people of Palestine, who are courageously facing state aggression,” the prime minister said, adding that for lasting peace in the Middle East, peaceful resolution of the dispute according to the UN resolutions and aspirations of the Palestinians was the need of the hour.
He said on the International Day of Peace, the government and the people of Pakistan joined the global community to reflect on the shared values of tolerance, compassion, and cooperation for a peaceful world, free of war and conflict.
“On this World Peace Day, we recognize the importance of fostering dialogue and understanding among diverse communities for a peaceful and sustainable world,” he remarked.
He said, “In a world often marked by conflict and division, it is essential to bridge the differences and work towards the common goal of peace.”
The prime minister said Pakistan recognized the critical importance of promoting a more peaceful and inclusive world for everyone and was ready to work with the global community.
“It is only by working together now that we can build a peaceful tomorrow for our future generations,” he concluded.