Shehbaz vows continued efforts to end war
Steps up diplomatic engagements on UNGA fringes
PM Shehbaz addressing the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan today
NEW YORK:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said Pakistan was “completely focused” on mediating an end to the Middle East war.
“Pakistan is playing the role of a sincere and honest mediator between Iran, our neighbourly country, and the United States,” the prime minister told reporters at the United Nations, adding that he signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding along with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump.
“Unfortunately, events after that got a bit unpredictable, but Pakistan is completely focused. We have not lost hope; we [are] absolutely determined that we will further make efforts and make progress to de-escalate the situation,” the premier added.
Asked if there are plans for another meeting, the prime minister said it is a “conscious process” and that all friendly countries are contributing to achieve peace.
The prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s principled support for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and expressed readiness to contribute to the country’s reconstruction and economic recovery.
The prime minister made the remarks during a meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held multiple meetings on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
PM reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong commitment to its historic and fraternal relations with Syria and reiterated its support for Syria’s sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and political independence.
The two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral relations, including through enhanced high-level exchanges, activation of institutional mechanisms and cooperation in trade and investment, education, information technology and other areas of mutual interest.
The prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s readiness to contribute to Syria’s reconstruction and economic recovery, while reiterating its principled support for the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The two leaders also exchanged views on the regional situation, with the prime minister underscoring the importance of dialogue, diplomacy and respect for the principles of the UN Charter in promoting peace and stability in the region.
The prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and for a just and lasting resolution of the Palestine issue in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and international law.
He also expressed good wishes for the Syrian people in their efforts towards national stabilisation, cohesion, peace and economic recovery.
The meeting provided an opportunity to reaffirm the longstanding bonds of friendship between Pakistan and Syria and to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in the years ahead.
The prime minister met with Gates Foundation Chair Bill Gates, who stressed that polio eradication efforts in Pakistan were “vital to protect future generations”.
PM Shehbaz appreciated Gates Foundation’s engagement with Pakistan to support polio eradication, maternal and child health, nutrition, immunisation, digitisation and financial inclusion, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a post on X.
“The prime minister complimented the Gates Foundation for being a trusted partner in Pakistan’s socio-economic development and expressed interest in broadening collaboration in areas including public health, agriculture, digital innovation and AI,” PMO said.
PM Shehbaz and Gates also “agreed to explore opportunities for collaboration in the development of improved seeds, livestock genetics and emerging agricultural technologies”, according to PMO.
The two committed to “further strengthening and expanding partnerships that support sustainable development, technological advancement and improved social sector outcomes for the people of Pakistan”.
PM Shehbaz invited the Microsoft co-founder to visit Pakistan.
Pakistan is one of the last two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic.
During his ongoing New York trip, PM Shehbaz also met with world leaders of Kuwait, Kenya, Austria, Somalia, Syria and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Meanwhile, in a meeting with Bosnian Presidency Chairman Denis Becirovic, the prime minister congratulated him on the formal opening of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European Union accession talks.
According to PMO, Becirovic praised Pakistan’s mediation efforts for de-escalation in the Gulf, adding that “he also fully supported Pakistan’s position” on the illegality of holding the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance.
In the meeting with Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah on Tuesday, PM Shehbaz highlighted the potential for “enhanced cooperation in trade, investment, energy and human resource development” between the two countries, PMO said.
Furthermore, PM Shehbaz and Kenyan President William Ruto “reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the longstanding and cordial ties between the two countries”.
The premier invited Kenyan investors to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan, while Ruto lauded Pakistan’s mediation efforts in the US-Iran war.
PM Shehbaz also met Austrian Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Tuesday on the sidelines of the UNGA session.
PM Shehbaz also addressed a high-level meeting at the UN headquarters on Wednesday, in which he said that a country’s right to development could not be realised where the means to do so were denied, and called for a proactive approach.
The premier was addressing a meeting marking the 40th anniversary of the UN’s Declaration on the Right to Development.
He called attention to the “stark reality” that debt servicing was shrinking fiscal space and consuming “scarce resources that should have been directed towards human development around the globe”. He added that climate disasters were erasing “hard-earned gains” and warned of technological inequalities threatening to perpetuate existing socio-economic divides in a digital age.
“A right cannot be realised where the means to realise it are denied,” PM Shehbaz said. “Therefore, a proactive approach is required.”
He highlighted Pakistan’s development pursuits, saying that they were anchored in a “homegrown economic transformational plan” that was built on enhancing exports, embracing digital technologies, taking effective climate action, enhancing energy infrastructure and ensuring equity and empowerment. He also noted that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) complemented this agenda.
Shehbaz also called for debt distress to be addressed and for international financial architecture to be reformed to “provide concessional finance, deliver climate adaptation and loss and damage support”.
He expressed Pakistan’s support for the early adoption of the international covenant on the right to early development.
“The true measure of development is not how far the world advances, but whether humanity advances together in a collective mode,” he said.
(With input from News Desk)