UN Chief Antonio Guterres Arrives in Pakistan for Three-Day Official Visit
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday for a three-day official visit to Pakistan, with regional and international developments, multilateral cooperation and disaster preparedness expected to feature prominently in his engagements.
Guterres is visiting Pakistan from October 6 to 8 at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
Acting Foreign Secretary Ambassador Nabeel Munir received the UN secretary-general upon his arrival in the federal capital.
During the visit, Guterres is scheduled to hold separate meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.
He will also meet Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
The meetings are expected to provide Pakistan and the United Nations with an opportunity to exchange views on major regional and international developments at a time of heightened geopolitical and security tensions.
Pakistan’s role in promoting international peace and security and its longstanding cooperation with the United Nations will also form part of the discussions.
The UN chief will visit the headquarters of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) during his stay.
UNMOGIP has maintained a presence in the region for decades and monitors developments related to the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.
Guterres will also attend a briefing at Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, where the country’s progress in disaster preparedness, resilience and early-warning systems will be highlighted.
The engagement carries particular significance following Guterres’ previous visit to Pakistan in 2022, when he travelled to areas devastated by catastrophic floods.
Pakistan has since worked to strengthen disaster preparedness and resilience against extreme weather events and other climate-related risks.
The visit also provides Islamabad with an opportunity to highlight its support for a multilateral international system centred on the United Nations.
Guterres’ meetings with Pakistan’s leadership come as the country remains engaged in diplomatic efforts concerning regional security and wider international developments.
His three-day programme is expected to combine high-level political discussions with engagements focusing on peacekeeping, disaster resilience and Pakistan’s cooperation with the United Nations.
The visit is scheduled to conclude on October 8.
