ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday rubbished media speculation regarding Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar skipping the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) scheduled to be held from September 23 to 27 in New York.
PM Shehbaz and Dar along with senior government officials were scheduled to visit New York to attend the upcoming UNGA session, however, it was rumoured that Dar cancelled his foreign visit due to uncertain political situation in the country.
However, Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch clarified in a statement today that that Dar was skipping the UNGA session in view of some important upcoming diplomatic engagements.
The deputy premier was also not proceeding for the UNGA session due to the "ongoing preparations for the 23rd Meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)," she added.
However, Premier Shehbaz's programme for participation in the UN summit remains unchanged, concluded Baloch.
PM Shehbaz has departed for New York to represent Pakistan at the 79th UNGA session from Islamabad today.
He will make a stopover in London for two days before reaching New York on September 23.
The premier said in an X post, "Departing for New York to represent Pakistan at the 79th UN General Assembly. Looking forward to a busy week full of engagements."
"During our interactions we will take up global issues, promoting peace, development & climate action. Will present Pakistan's perspective to the world, advocate our interests & strengthen international partnerships," he concluded.
In a briefing two days ago, the FO spokesperson detailed that PM Shehbaz, in his speech at the UN summit, 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.
The premier will also emphasise the importance of addressing long-standing issues on the agenda of the UN Security Council, including the question of Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir.
Moreover, he will 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.
The bilateral meetings with world leaders, meetings with the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres and President of the UNGA, Philemon Yang, and members of the Pakistani diaspora are also on the agenda of the prime minister’s visit.
The spokesperson said that the prime minister’s upcoming participation in the UNGA session would be an opportunity to present Pakistan’s policy perspective on important issues on the global agenda and reaffirm Pakistan’s strong commitment to the purpose and principles of the UN Charter and international peace and security.
The UNGA is the main policy making part of the UN, comprising of all member states, it provides the countries to discuss multilateral discussion of international issues.
The Assembly meets annually from September to December and at other times when it is necessary. The assembly discusses issues specified through agenda items or sub-items, leading to the passing of resolutions.
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