UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Islamabad on October 6 for a three-day official visit to Pakistan, where he is scheduled to meet the country’s top leadership and discuss regional and international developments. Pakistan’s Foreign Office confirmed that the visit will continue through October 8 and is taking place at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Guterres to Meet Pakistan’s Top Leadership
During his visit, Guterres is scheduled to hold meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir. The UN chief was received upon arrival by Acting Foreign Secretary Ambassador Nabeel Munir.
The discussions are expected to cover regional and international developments, international peace and security, and Pakistan’s engagement with the United Nations. Pakistan’s Foreign Office said the visit provides an opportunity to reiterate the country’s longstanding cooperation with the UN and its support for multilateralism.
The UN also confirmed ahead of the trip that Guterres would meet senior Pakistani officials, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Zardari and Ishaq Dar.
Disaster Preparedness and UNMOGIP on Agenda
Guterres is scheduled to visit the headquarters of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) during his stay in Islamabad.
He will also visit Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), where he is expected to review the country’s progress in disaster preparedness and resilience. The UN said the visit comes with a focus on the progress made since Guterres visited Pakistan in 2022 following the devastating floods.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said the visit will also highlight its efforts to strengthen disaster preparedness and early-warning systems.
The three-day visit therefore combines high-level diplomatic meetings with discussions around disaster resilience and Pakistan’s broader engagement with the UN.
Relevant Link: United Nations
Conversation
Be kind and stay on topic. Comments are moderated; abuse, spam and personal attacks are removed. Report a problem