Pakistan PM leaves for New York to attend UNGA summit

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan left for the United States on Friday after concluding his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia where he reiterated Pakistan’s support to the kingdom against any threat during his meetings with the Saudi king and crown prince and the Saudi leadership reassured Pakistan of support and solidarity on Kashmir issue.
The prime minister will arrive in the US on Saturday where he will interact with world leaders and address the UN General Assembly on September 27.
According to an official handout circulated by Pakistan Foreign Office, Khan will share the country’s perspective on Kashmir issue and the situation in the disputed Himalayan territory under India’s administrative control after New Delhi revoked its limited constitutional autonomy last month.
The prime minister will also focus on other significant international issues during his week-long diplomatic engagements, though Kashmir will remain central to most of his interactions in the US.
“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 foreign office said in its statement. “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.”
Khan will also attend high-level side events co-hosted by Pakistan and Turkey on countering hate speech. Other than that, he is scheduled to participate in a trilateral summit between Pakistan, Malaysia and Turkey on the UNGA sidelines.
The prime minister will also interact with international media outlets, meet with heads of major human rights organizations and speak at leading American think tanks.
He will also be accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi who will attend the General Assembly session, interact with his counterparts from other countries, and address important ministerial meetings, especially the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir.