ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to meet US President Donald Trump in New York on September 23 on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), 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 session at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel on Madison Avenue on the evening of September 23.
Sources said Prime Minister Shehbaz has received an invitation to the high-profile gathering, which is expected to bring together several world leaders. The reception will also provide an opportunity for the premier to hold informal interactions with other heads of state and government.
The proposed meeting with President Trump would mark their first in-person interaction in seven months, following the conclusion of the Board of Peace meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
Prime Minister Shehbaz is expected to reach New York from London on September 22 and address the UN General Assembly on September 25.
During his speech, the prime minister is likely to raise India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), while referring to the recent ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which rejected India’s contention on the matter.
The sources said a number of countries, in addition to Pakistan’s traditional allies, had assured Islamabad of their support for its position.
The prime minister is also expected to highlight the Kashmir dispute, describing it as a persistent challenge to regional and global peace. He will outline Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to promote regional stability and its role in pushing for a ceasefire and an end to hostilities in the Middle East.
Shehbaz is further likely to mention the trilateral collective security agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, signed in Makkah last month.
He is also expected to brief the international community on Pakistan’s counterterrorism measures and raise concerns about what Islamabad describes as India-sponsored terrorism, including the alleged use of Afghan territory for such activities.
According to the sources, Prime Minister Shehbaz is expected to hold meetings with several world leaders on the sidelines of the UNGA, including Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The meeting would be their first face-to-face interaction.
The high-level General Debate of the 81st UN General Assembly is scheduled for September 22-26 at the UN headquarters in New York. The UN Secretariat has already released the speaking schedule for participating leaders.
Prime Minister Shehbaz is scheduled to be the fourth speaker during the second half of the General Debate on September 25.
The sources said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would skip the UNGA for the second consecutive year, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to address the General Assembly on September 24.
Afghanistan is listed among the final speakers on the closing day of the General Debate, according to the schedule cited by the sources.
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