Ishaq Dar leaves for New York to attend 81st UNGA session

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar left Islamabad for New York on Sunday to attend the 81st UN General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Week, September 21-25. He will accompany Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and take part in meetings on Kashmir, Palestine, artificial intelligence and global health.

Why is Ishaq Dar going to the UN General Assembly?

Ishaq Dar is travelling to support Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's engagements and to hold his own bilateral and multilateral meetings. The Foreign Ministry says he will use the visit to highlight Pakistan's efforts for regional and international peace and stability, and to exchange views on key regional and global challenges.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dar has an extensive program of bilateral and multilateral engagements during the visit. He is expected to hold bilateral meetings with foreign ministers and other counterparts from several countries.

What will Ishaq Dar do on Kashmir and at OIC meetings?

Dar will attend a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir. He is expected to reiterate Pakistan's support for the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people.

He will also join several OIC ministerial meetings on the sidelines of the UNGA. These include the OIC Foreign Ministers' Annual Coordination Meeting and other meetings of OIC Contact Groups.

Which Palestine meetings will Ishaq Dar attend in New York?

Dar will take part in several high-level meetings on Palestine. They include a meeting of the Group of Eight Arab and Islamic countries and a High-Level Ministerial Meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.

What else is on Ishaq Dar's UNGA schedule?

The foreign minister is scheduled to address a UN Security Council high-level briefing on artificial intelligence. He will also participate in a High-Level Meeting on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

Dar will chair a meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Council of Ministers during the UNGA week. He will also accompany Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in high-level bilateral meetings and engagements.