Islamabad, Oct 06 (V7N)- UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday for a three-day official visit, with Islamabad’s diplomatic efforts to facilitate dialogue between the United States and Iran among the key issues expected to be discussed.
Guterres arrived in Islamabad at the invitation of Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar. The visit will continue through October 8 and is his first trip to Pakistan since 2022, when he visited areas affected by devastating floods.
During the visit, Guterres is scheduled to meet President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Dar and Chief of Defence Forces and Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the visit will provide an opportunity to exchange views on regional and international developments, as well as Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen multilateralism and promote international peace and security.
Guterres has already met Dar in Islamabad. During the meeting, Dar briefed the UN chief on Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to promote dialogue and de-escalation, including Islamabad’s facilitation of talks between the United States and Iran.
Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s position that dialogue and diplomacy are the most effective means of resolving disputes. Guterres appreciated Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to promote dialogue, mediation and de-escalation, according to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry.
The discussions also covered regional and global peace and security issues, including Palestine, Jammu and Kashmir, Afghanistan, counterterrorism and the future of multilateralism.
Guterres is also scheduled to visit the headquarters of the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) in Islamabad and attend a briefing at the National Disaster Management Authority on Pakistan’s progress in disaster preparedness and resilience.
The UN chief last visited Pakistan in September 2022, when he toured areas devastated by catastrophic floods and called for greater international support for the country.
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