Pakistan is preparing for an intensive week of diplomatic engagements as world leaders gather in New York for the United Nations General Assembly amid continuing conflict in the Middle East and escalating violence in Yemen.
The prime minister is scheduled to arrive on Monday and address the General Assembly on September 25.
Pakistan’s delegation has been reduced as part of the government’s austerity measures. The deputy prime minister and a senior foreign-policy adviser are expected to form the core of the delegation, while several federal ministers who had initially been expected to travel will not attend.
Preparatory meetings are expected to focus on Pakistan’s priorities for the high-level UNGA week and developments in the rapidly changing regional security situation.
The Middle East crisis has featured prominently in discussions at the United Nations, with the Security Council holding meetings on the deteriorating situation in Yemen and wider regional tensions.
The General Assembly’s high-level debate is scheduled to begin on September 22 and continue through September 26, before resuming on September 28.
The session is taking place as tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran continue to affect the wider region. The crisis has also been accompanied by heightened tensions in the Gulf, attacks on Saudi Arabia and concerns over commercial shipping through the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The UN Security Council has condemned continued attacks against Saudi Arabia, including strikes affecting civilian and energy infrastructure. It has also condemned military escalation in Yemen and attacks or threats against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb.
The Council has called for an immediate end to military escalation and attacks affecting civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The situation in Yemen is expected to remain among the issues discussed by Pakistani officials during the UNGA week. Pakistan has condemned attacks against Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping and reiterated its support for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Pakistan has also called for restraint and peaceful resolution of regional disputes.
The Middle East situation presents a sensitive diplomatic challenge for Islamabad, which maintains close relations with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries while sharing a border and longstanding ties with Iran.
Against this backdrop, Pakistan is expected to emphasise diplomacy, dialogue and peaceful conflict resolution at the General Assembly. The Palestinian issue and the Kashmir dispute are also expected to feature in Pakistan’s diplomatic engagements.
The prime minister’s agenda is expected to cover sustainable development, climate action, counterterrorism, Islamophobia and reform of the United Nations. Bilateral meetings with world leaders and senior UN officials are also planned.
Pakistan’s delegation will seek to advance the country’s diplomatic priorities while responding to developments in a region of significant strategic importance.
