United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will visit Pakistan from October 6 to 8 for meetings with the country’s political and military leadership, the Foreign Office said on Monday.
The three-day official visit is taking place at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
During his stay, Guterres will meet President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, Dar and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, the Foreign Office said.
The UN secretary-general is also scheduled to visit the headquarters of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP). The group is the UN mission responsible for observing developments along the Line of Control.
According to the Foreign Office, Guterres will also attend a briefing at the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), where Pakistan’s work on disaster preparedness and early-warning systems will be highlighted.
The Foreign Office added that the visit will also focus on Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen multilateralism, international peace and security, as well as its cooperation with the United Nations.
It said Guterres’ visit will provide an opportunity for Pakistan to exchange views with the UN leadership on regional and international developments and reiterate its longstanding cooperation with the organisation.
The Foreign Office noted that the visit will provide an opportunity to acknowledge Guterres’ leadership and contributions to international peace and development.
The forthcoming visit reflects Pakistan’s support for multilateralism, with the United Nations at its core, and its commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, the Foreign Office reiterated.
