Farhan Qureshi 
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar arrived in New York to attend the High-Level Week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, as part of his Ishaq Dar UNGA 2026 visit. Dar is travelling with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif as Pakistan gears up for a busy diplomatic and multilateral schedule from September 21-25.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Consul General New York Aamer Ahmed Atozai and officials of Pakistan’s UN Mission and Consulate received Dar. This visit also marks the beginning of a busy week for Pakistan on the bilateral, regional and international forums.
Pakistan Prepares For Broad UN Activities
The Foreign Ministry’s program for Dar includes a number of major multilateral meetings during the high-level week. The schedule of engagements includes meetings of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, including the OIC Foreign Ministers’ Annual Coordination Meeting and the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir.
Dar is also expected to attend high-level meetings on Palestine, including the meeting of the Group of Eight Arab Islamic countries and the High-Level Ministerial Meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution. These engagements put Pakistan’s stated positions on regional peace and international cooperation within the framework of broader multilateral discussions.
Palestine And Kashmir Remain Top Diplomatic Priorities
The Deputy Prime Minister’s schedule includes the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir. According to the Foreign Ministry, Dar will take the opportunity at the meeting to reiterate Pakistan’s formal stance of support for the right to self-determination of Kashmiris.
Palestine is another key feature of the program, with Dar due to attend a number of high-level meetings on the issue. In its multilateral diplomacy, Pakistan has continued to raise the situation in Palestine, including supporting international efforts on a two-state solution.
Pakistan’s Focus On Dialogue, Regional Peace
Pakistan’s engagement at the UNGA comes against the backdrop of serious regional security challenges. The Foreign Office said the Pakistani delegation would exchange views on major regional and international developments and share efforts for regional and international peace and stability.
Dar’s recent diplomatic activity has also highlighted dialogue and diplomacy as means to handle regional tensions. The two sides agreed to remain in close contact, while he held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on September 19, stressing the importance of uninterrupted energy supplies and safe passage for commercial ships.
Ishaq Dar To Attend High-Level Ministerial Forums
Aside from bilateral meetings, Dar has a heavy multilateral agenda at the United Nations. He is due to make a statement at a high-level UN Security Council briefing on artificial intelligence and attend a high-level meeting on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
Dar will also preside over the meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organisation Council of Ministers. This position provides yet another platform for Pakistan to engage in discussions on economic cooperation and regional connectivity among the ECO member states.
Bilateral Meetings Offer A Free Space For Pakistan’s Diplomacy
Dar’s New York program will also include bilateral meetings with foreign counterparts. In addition to these engagements, he will also accompany Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to high-level bilateral meetings and other events associated with the UN General Assembly.
Bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the UNGA are an efficient venue for countries to discuss specific areas of cooperation. Such contacts for Pakistan can include political relations, trade, investment, regional security, energy, development and other matters of mutual interest, depending on the counterpart.
Pakistan Raises Global South Issues In UN Agenda
Pakistan’s participation also matters for issues that affect developing countries and the wider Global South. The Foreign Office has identified some of the broader priorities expected to be part of Pakistan’s engagement at the UNGA, such as sustainable development, climate change, counter-terrorism, Islamophobia, global economic challenges and UN reform.
These are directly related to Pakistan’s development priorities. Developing economies continue to face important considerations such as climate-related risks, financing challenges, economic stresses, and the need to improve international cooperation to foster greater resilience and sustainable development.
Unga Allows Pakistan To Extend Its Global Outreach
The 81st UN General Assembly provides Pakistan a wide diplomatic stage when the security of the region and global economic concerns are so closely linked. Within a week of intense international engagement, Pakistan’s foreign policy and multilateral priorities come to the fore with Dar’s participation alongside the Prime Minister.
Also planned are meetings happening in the wake of Pakistan’s recent efforts to keep in touch with key regional and international partners. Dar recently met his counterparts from Iran and Malaysia to exchange views on regional developments, energy security, trade and economic cooperation.
Pakistan’s UNGA Program Connects Regional And Global Priorities
Dar’s visit to New York begins a five-day schedule that will see Pakistan engage on security, diplomacy, development, economic cooperation and international governance. The extent of planned diplomatic activity by Pakistan is apparent from its participation in OIC meetings, UN forums, ECO discussions and bilateral engagements.
The program also links Pakistan’s immediate regional concerns to wider global priorities. The wider canvas of Pakistan’s UNGA engagement includes energy security, safe maritime navigation, Palestine, Kashmir, climate change, sustainable development, artificial intelligence and global economic challenges.
