PM Shehbaz Sharif Meets UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York, Raises Urgent Concerns Over Afghan-Based Terrorism
NEW YORK : In the middle of the international talks taking place in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at an important bilateral meeting.
In the in-depth meeting, the two high-level officials had in-depth discussions on global and regional developments, highlighting the volatile situation in the Middle East, rising security concerns in the region, cross-border terrorism and the worrying trend of Islamophobia in the world.
The following are key issues raised by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Afghan Based Terrorism: The Prime Minister formally raised the alarming issue of growing instances of terrorist activities from Afghan soil and pointed out that it poses serious security concerns for Pakistan and the entire region.
In the context of Middle East and Multilateralism, Prime Minister Shehbaz stressed the need for the adoption of diplomacy and dialogue to find solutions to the conflicts in the region and ensure adherence to the UN Charter and multilateralism. He reiterated Pakistan’s steadfast support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
The Prime Minister highlighted a growing international issue of Islamophobia and urged for strong and effective global actions on the subject and for inter-faith harmony.
UN Chief thanks Pakistan for contributions.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in turn, applauded Pakistan’s “historical and continued contributions to peace and security” in the world. He complimented Pakistan’s extraordinary sacrifices in the international war against terror, and commended Islamabad’s constructive diplomatic initiatives for peaceful solution of international conflicts.
Iranian President met with Bangladeshi leadership in bilateral talks in both directions.
The Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also had key diplomatic engagement with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Bangladeshi leadership on regional cooperation, enhanced bilateral trade and deepening economic cooperation. In his talks with the Bangladeshi delegation, the Prime Minister congratulated them for their leadership in the UN assemblies and reiterated mutual commitments to further strengthen cooperation between the two nations in the fields of trade, education, investment and tourism.