Shehbaz Sharif Arrives in New York for 81st UNGA

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in New York on September 21, 2026, to represent Pakistan at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. He is scheduled to address the assembly on September 25, where he will prioritize the issues of Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir, while also covering sustainable development, climate change, counterterrorism, Islamophobia, and UN reforms.

Accompanying the Prime Minister are Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi. The government reduced the size of the delegation as part of austerity measures, excluding several federal ministers. In addition to the general assembly, the Pakistani delegation is seeking a meeting with Apple Executive Chairman Tim Cook.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar arrived ahead of the Prime Minister to conduct preliminary meetings. Dar's agenda includes chairing the Economic Cooperation Organisation Council of Ministers meeting and participating in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir. He is also scheduled to deliver a statement to the UN Security Council regarding Artificial Intelligence and attend high-level meetings on pandemic prevention and the Two-State Solution for Palestine.