The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Saturday that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar will not attend the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York due to important diplomatic commitments and preparations for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Islamabad.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch addressed media speculation regarding Dar’s participation in the UNGA session, clarifying that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s plans to attend the session remain unchanged.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to participate in the UNGA from September 23 to 27, 2024, as confirmed by the Foreign Office on Thursday. Initially, it was anticipated that he would be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Dar and senior government officials.
In his address at the UNGA, the Prime Minister will reaffirm Pakistan’s commitment to multilateralism and express support for the UN’s role in promoting global peace, security, and prosperity. He will also highlight the need to address long-standing issues on the UN Security Council’s agenda, particularly concerning Palestine and Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
During the session, the Prime Minister is scheduled to attend several high-level meetings, including discussions on the existential threats posed by rising sea levels and an open debate in the UN Security Council on leadership for peace. He will also engage in bilateral meetings with world leaders, discussions with the UN Secretary-General, and interactions with members of the Pakistani diaspora.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Dar will participate in several high-level events and bilateral meetings with his counterparts. He is set to represent Pakistan at the Summit of the Future convened by the UN Secretary-General on September 22, and will attend various ministerial meetings, including those of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the G77 and China, and the Non-Aligned Movement.
