- WEB DESK
- September 21, 2026
Ishaq Dar arrives in New York ahead of UN General Assembly
-
- WEB DESK
- September 21, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in New York on Monday to participate in the high-level week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he is scheduled to attend ministerial meetings, deliver Pakistan’s statements and hold bilateral talks with counterparts.
The Foreign Office said Dar has a “full programme” of high-level engagements during the week, covering bilateral, regional and international issues on the UN agenda.
Dar was received upon arrival by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Ambassador to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Consul General in New York Aamer Ahmed Atozai, and officials from Pakistan’s UN mission and consulate, the Foreign Office said.
Dar is accompanying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is due to arrive in New York later in the week to lead Pakistan’s delegation during the high-level segment of the UN General Assembly.
The UN General Assembly’s high-level week is being held from Sept 21 to 25, while the general debate is scheduled to begin on Sept 22 and continue through Sept 28. The 81st session is being held under the theme **“Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.”**
Kashmir, Palestine on agenda
According to the Foreign Office’s programme for Dar’s visit, he will attend a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir.
At the meeting, Dar is expected to reiterate Pakistan’s support for the right to self-determination of Kashmiris, the Foreign Office said. He will also attend OIC ministerial meetings, including the annual coordination meeting of OIC foreign ministers and other Contact Group meetings.
Palestine will also feature prominently in Dar’s engagements. The foreign minister is scheduled to attend several high-level meetings on the issue, including a meeting of the Group of Eight Arab-Islamic countries and a high-level ministerial meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.
The meetings come as the UN high-level week brings world leaders and senior officials together to discuss conflicts, humanitarian crises and other international challenges.
AI, pandemic preparedness and economic cooperation
Dar is also scheduled to deliver a statement during a UN Security Council high-level briefing on artificial intelligence, according to the Foreign Office.
He will participate in a high-level meeting on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, and will chair a meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organisation Council of Ministers.
The foreign minister will also hold bilateral meetings with counterparts from several countries during the visit, while accompanying Prime Minister Shehbaz in his high-level bilateral engagements.
The Foreign Office said Dar would use the meetings to highlight Pakistan’s efforts towards regional and international peace and stability and exchange views on key regional and global challenges.
Pakistan to highlight regional and global priorities
The Foreign Office said Prime Minister Shehbaz would use his UNGA visit to present Pakistan’s perspective on regional and global developments and emphasise dialogue, diplomacy, restraint and peaceful resolution of disputes.
Pakistan’s stated priorities include sustainable development, climate change, counter-terrorism, Islamophobia, global economic challenges and UN reform, as well as developments concerning Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine.
The UN’s high-level week is bringing together nearly 130 heads of state and government, with the General Assembly providing a forum for its 193 member states to discuss international issues.
Dar’s arrival marks the start of Pakistan’s high-level diplomatic engagements in New York ahead of the prime minister’s participation in the General Assembly proceedings.
