UN Secretary-General António Guterres is visiting Pakistan for four days as Islamabad seeks to support dialogue between Washington and Tehran and strengthen diplomatic efforts.
ISLAMABAD: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has travelled to Pakistan for a four-day visit focused on Islamabad’s diplomatic role in the US-Iran conflict and its efforts to support negotiations between the two sides.
Guterres left New York on Sunday night at the invitation of the Government of Pakistan and is expected to hold high-level meetings with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Guterres had witnessed Pakistan’s longstanding contribution to international diplomacy, including its efforts to bring parties together when dialogue is most needed.
Guterres Backs Pakistan’s Diplomatic Efforts
The UN chief has repeatedly acknowledged Pakistan’s mediation efforts in the Middle East conflict.
Islamabad has been acting as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran and has urged both sides to pursue dialogue and honour commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
Guterres also strongly advocated renewed dialogue during his final press conference ahead of the 81st UN General Assembly high-level debate, stressing the need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
His visit comes as Pakistan continues to position itself as a diplomatic channel between the United States and Iran amid efforts to reduce tensions and encourage negotiations.
UN Chief to Review Pakistan’s Disaster Preparedness
During his stay, Guterres will visit the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to review Pakistan’s progress in disaster preparedness and resilience since the devastating 2022 monsoon floods.
Guterres last visited Pakistan in 2022, when he travelled to flood-affected areas and expressed solidarity with communities devastated by the disaster.
His latest visit will provide an opportunity to review the country’s progress in strengthening its disaster response and resilience measures since the floods.
Guterres to Visit UNMOGIP Headquarters
The UN secretary-general is also scheduled to visit the headquarters of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) in Islamabad.
The mission monitors the Line of Control in disputed Jammu and Kashmir and has maintained a UN presence in the region for decades.
Guterres’ visit to the mission headquarters comes amid his broader engagement with Pakistan’s diplomatic and regional priorities.
Guterres Nears End of UN Tenure
The visit comes as Guterres approaches the end of his tenure as UN secretary-general.
Having served two five-year terms, Guterres is due to step down at the end of 2026, making the Pakistan visit one of his final official engagements in the country as UN chief.
He is expected to return to New York on Thursday.