PM Khan on 'Mission Kashmir' will meet Trump tomorrow

On Monday, PM Khan will hold a meeting with United States President Donald Trump.

WASHINGTON (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Imran Khan has begun what Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi called “mission Kashmir for Pakistan” as the premier with full zeal will pull the world’s attention towards the longstanding Kashmir dispute between nuclear-armed rivals Pakistan and India.

“This is mission Kashmir for the prime minister and for Pakistan […] his message will be clear: the occupation must end, and a peaceful solution found for the Kashmir dispute. He will highlight the plight of the Kashmiri people who continue to suffer a suffocating lockdown and a brutal occupation,” said Ambassador Lodhi, adding the prime minister would meet world leaders and the UN secretary general.

This is the prime minister’s first General Assembly visit and “he will be the voice of the Kashmiri people at the UN,” the ambassador said.

Yesterday, PM Khan met the Founder of Kashmir Study Group (KSG), Farooq Kathwari, in New York.

During the meeting, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Special Assistant to the PM Naeem ul Haq, Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, Ambassador to the United States Asad Majeed Khan and other senior officials were also present.

The premier advised Mr Kathwari to further outline the issue of illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and the ongoing blatant human rights’ violations by India for exposing the real face of Modi-led Hindu nationalist government in front of the world.

Mr Kathwari had previously served as member for US President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans.

On Monday, PM Khan will hold a meeting with United States President Donald Trump.

The prime minister will hold several bilateral meetings with his counterparts from various regions and participate in high-level UN summits on climate change, sustainable development, universal health coverage and financing for development.

Imran Khan will also attend and speak at high-level side events co-hosted by Pakistan and Turkey on countering hate speech and on environmental protection and poverty alleviation, co-hosted by Malaysia and Pakistan. A trilateral summit meeting of Pakistan, Malaysia and Turkey will be held on the General Assembly sidelines.

Apart from these engagements, he will interact with cross-section of international media outlets including meetings with editorial boards. The prime minister’s speaking engagements at leading think-tanks and meetings with heads of major international human rights organizations are also envisaged.

PM Imran will deliver his address to the UN General Assembly on Friday, 27 September, and share Pakistan’s perspective and position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and its current human rights and related dimensions.

He will also avail the opportunity to articulate Pakistan’s perspective on some key contemporary issues. Overall, the centrality of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute would be emphasized through myriad engagements.

The prime minister reached the U.S. after his visit of Saudi Arabia, during which he is slated to meet several heads of states and governments, and attend various summits.

PM Imran Khan reached the United States to attend the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) onboard the special aircraft of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman who barred him from using a commercial flight.

“You are our special guest and you would be going to the U.S. on my special aircraft,” said Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman.

Upon his arrival, the PM was received by Pakistan’s Permanent representative to the UN, Maleha Lodhi, Pakistan Ambassador to the U.S. and other senior officials.

During his stay, he will be staying at The Roosevelt Hotel and according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, Prime Minister Imran Khan will lead the Pakistan delegation during the high-level week of the UN General Assembly Session in New York from 21-27 September 2019.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will also attend the General Assembly session, interact with his counterparts from various countries, and address important Ministerial meetings especially the OIC Contact Group on Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir.

Pakistan has always been a strong advocate of and one of the leading contributors to the United Nations work in the areas of peace, security and development. The Prime Minister’s visit will further reinforce Pakistan’s abiding commitment to the UN Charter, international law and cooperative multilateralism, with the UN at its core.

PM Khan s meetings

At 7pm today, the prime minister will meet senior United States Senator from New York Chuck Schumer. At 7.30pm, the premier is scheduled to meet David Fenton. At 8.00pm, the secretary general of the Amnesty International will call on PM Khan. At 8.30pm, the PM will meet Zalmay Khalilzad, an Afghan-American diplomat, who has served as the Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation at the State Department.

The chairman of the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary will meet the prime minister at 10pm, and at 12.30am, PM Khan will hold a meeting with a delegation of Kashmiri leadership.

At 1.00am, the PM will meet a delegation of the Sikh community in the U.S. The chief executive officer (CEO) of the Uber Company will also call on the PM at 11.30pm.

The chief of the American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States, will meet PM Khan at around midnight.