NEW YORK: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has arrived in New York to spearhead Pakistan’s delegation at the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where nearly 150 world leaders are set to convene for this annual event.
PM Kakar’s arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport was met with a warm welcome from key diplomatic figures, including Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, Munir Akram, Ambassador to the United States, Masood Khan, Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Aamir Khan, Consul General in New York, Aamer Ahmed Atozai, and other officials.
Notably, PM Kakar is slated to address the General Assembly on September 22, becoming the first Pakistani caretaker premier to take this prestigious podium.
With extensive security measures in place for the UNGA’s high-level debate from September 19 to 26, PM Kakar’s address is highly anticipated. During his speech, he is expected to articulate Pakistan’s stance on various regional and global concerns, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. Additionally, he will outline the substantial measures undertaken by his caretaker administration to bolster the country’s economic recovery and stimulate both domestic and foreign investment.
Furthermore, PM Kakar’s agenda includes bilateral meetings with counterparts from diverse nations, heads of international organizations, leaders in philanthropy, and corporate figures. He also has several media engagements scheduled.
Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani had previously arrived in New York on Sunday, setting the stage for Pakistan’s active participation at the UN General Assembly.
PM Kakar’s presence at the UNGA marks a historic moment as he becomes the first interim prime minister to represent Pakistan at this prestigious global forum. Additionally, his engagement extends to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) summit, taking place on September 18-19 on the sidelines of the Assembly session, underlining Pakistan’s commitment to global development initiatives.
“The prime minister will be speaking about the mobilization of financing for SDGs,” Ambassador Akram said.
The prime minister will also make a keynote at another summit on financing for development where “he will talk about how to mobilize private sector finance for development,” the Pakistani envoy added.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chosen not to attend this year’s session. Instead, his Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar will address the Assembly on Sept 26.
