Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to join a meeting of “select” Muslim leaders with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York, according to a statement from the Foreign Office issued on Sunday.
“The prime minister will also participate in a meeting of select Islamic leaders with US President Trump to exchange views on issues pertaining to regional and international peace and security,” the FO said.
The upcoming meeting between Muslim leaders and President Trump could mark Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s first direct interaction with him since Trump returned to office in January.
Earlier, in June, Trump hosted Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at the White House.
PM Shehbaz will lead Pakistan’s delegation to the high-level segment of the UNGA, scheduled to begin on 22 September 2025, the FO said in its statement.
“He [the PM] will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, as well as other ministers and senior government officials,” the statement added.
At UNGA, PM Shehbaz will urge the international community to resolve the situations of prolonged occupation and denial of the right to self-determination from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK) and Palestine.
“He will draw the attention of the international community towards the grave crisis in Gaza, and call for decisive action to end the suffering of the Palestinians,” the FO statement read.
The statement said that PM would also highlight Pakistan’s perspective on the regional security situation, as well as other issues of international concern, including climate change, terrorism, Islamophobia, and sustainable development.
The premier will further attend several high-level events on the sidelines of the UNGA session, including important meetings of the UN Security Council, a high-level meeting of the Global Development Initiative (GDI), and a Special High-Level Event on Climate Action, among others, it added.
During the visit, the prime minister will have bilateral meetings on the sidelines with several world leaders and senior UN officials for an exchange of views on issues of mutual interest.
“He will also underline Pakistan’s resolve to work with all UN member states to uphold the UN charter, prevent conflict, foster peace and promote global prosperity in Pakistan’s current role as a member of the Security Council.
“The prime minister’s participation in this biggest annual gathering of global leaders will showcase Pakistan’s strong commitment to multilateralism and the United Nations and to highlight Pakistan’s longstanding contribution towards the shared objectives of peace and development,” it was further added.
Trump’s forthcoming meeting with Muslim leaders, including PM Shehbaz, comes amid major developments in the Middle East.
Earlier this month, Israel attacked Hamas officials in the Qatari capital Doha, killing five group members and a Qatari security officer, drawing widespread international condemnation.
In response, Arab and Muslim leaders convened an emergency session in Doha, co-sponsored by Pakistan, urging legal measures to halt Israeli actions against Palestinians.
This week, Riyadh and Islamabad signed the mutual defence pact, significantly strengthening a decades-old security partnership, a week after Israel’s strikes on Qatar upended the diplomatic calculus in the region.
The agreement, according to the PM Office, stated that any aggression against either country would be considered an aggression against both.
The deal was signed by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Riyadh, where Pakistan’s top official was accorded a warm welcome.
