PM to leave for US from London today to attend 80th UNGA Session

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will leave for United States from London today (Monday) to attend high-level segment of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) starting from 22 September in New York.

The prime minister will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, other ministers and senior officials.

“In his address to the General Assembly, the Prime Minister will urge the international community to resolve the situations of prolonged occupation and denial of the right to self-determination from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Palestine,” Foreign Office spokesperson said in a press statement on Sunday.

The prime minister will, in particular, draw the attention of the international community towards the grave crisis in Gaza, and call for decisive action to end the suffering of the Palestinians.

He will also highlight Pakistan’s perspective on the regional security situation, as well as other issues of international concern, including climate change, terrorism, Islamophobia, and sustainable development.

The prime minister will attend several high-level events on the sidelines of the UNGA Session, including important meetings of the UN Security Council, High-Level Meeting of the Global Development Initiative (GDI), and a Special High-Level Event on Climate Action, among others.

“He will also participate in a meeting of select Islamic leaders with US President Trump to exchange views on issues pertaining to regional and international peace and security,” it was added.

The prime minister will have bilateral meetings on the sidelines with several world leaders and senior UN officials for exchange of views on issues of mutual interest. He will also underline Pakistan’s resolve to work with all UN Member States to uphold the UN Charter, prevent conflict, foster peace and promote global prosperity in Pakistan’s current role as a member of the Security Council.

“The Prime Minister’s participation in this biggest annual gathering of global leaders will showcase Pakistan’s strong commitment to multilateralism and the United Nations and to highlight Pakistan’s longstanding contribution towards the shared objectives of peace and development,” it was further added.

PM LAUDS INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OVERSEAS PAKISTANIS

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has hailed the role of overseas Pakistanis as the backbone of the nation’s economy, describing their contributions as “invaluable”.

Addressing a convention in London, he paid tribute to expatriates for sending home record remittances worth $48.5 billion this year, calling them ambassadors of Pakistan whose hard work strengthens the country’s image worldwide.

The prime minister expressed his happiness at standing before the diaspora and praised the British Pakistani community for its services. He said overseas Pakistanis’ efforts in supporting the economy could not be measured even if weighed against gold and jewels.

Turning to regional issues, Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s position that relations with India cannot move forward without resolving the Kashmir dispute. He said Pakistan seeks peace and dialogue on an equal footing, stressing that both countries, as neighbours, must live together. The prime minister warned that anyone thinking ties could be normalised without resolving Kashmir issue was “living in a fool’s paradise.”

Recalling recent hostilities, he said that after Pakistan was wrongly blamed for the Pahalgam incident, he had proposed an international committee for transparent investigation. India, he noted, rejected the proposal and instead launched attacks inside Pakistan on 6 May 2025, targeting civilians and mosques. In response, Pakistan’s armed forces retaliated, downing six Indian fighter jets in what became known as Marka-e-Haq.

Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the nation on the “great victory” of 10th May 2025, crediting the unity of civil and military leadership and the skill of Pakistan Air Force pilots under Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu. He recalled the role of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in leading the response, saying the lesson taught to the enemy would “never be forgotten.”

The prime minister also highlighted global issues, condemning Israeli actions in Gaza where over 64,000 Palestinians have been killed. He urged the Muslim world to act for peace in the Middle East.

Shehbaz Sharif underlined his government’s vision to transform Pakistan into a resilient, debt-free economy through sustainable growth. He stressed the need for youth to be trained in modern education, IT, and Artificial Intelligence to compete globally, reminding that Pakistan’s founding fathers envisioned a dignified and respected role for the country on the world stage.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, speaking at the same event, recalled that in 2022 Pakistan was close to default, but economic reforms had since stabilised the situation. He said inflation had fallen from 38 percent to 5 percent, with defence, economic, and diplomatic fronts progressing under national consensus.

Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif described remittances as Pakistan’s “lifeline” and termed the Marka-e-Haq victory as unprecedented in the country’s military history.

Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain called the diaspora one of Pakistan’s greatest assets, crediting them with enhancing Pakistan’s global standing, particularly after the defence agreement with Saudi Arabia.