Shehbaz-Biden meeting likely during Pakistan PM's US visit, says report

Amid warming ties between Pakistan and the US, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif may have a meeting with President Joe Biden during his upcoming visit to New York to attend the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, a media report said on Saturday.

According to the report by The News, the premier will reach the US on September 19 for a hectic five-day visit during which he will also hold meetings with the heads of the international Monetary Fund and World Bank.

The Prime Minister, who will be accompanied by key members of his federal cabinet is scheduled to address the UNGA on September 23.

 

Though the schedule of the premier's meetings in the US is not known yet, Sharif, along with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, will attend a dinner reception hosted by President Biden for the heads of state and government, said The News report.

Former president Pervaiz Musharraf during his tenure had a detailed but secret meeting with then US President George Bush at such a reception.

Apart from addressing a meeting on food security and climate change, Sharif will meet the presidents of Turkey and Iran and his counterparts of Spain and other countries.

This year's UNGA session is significant because this will be the first in-person summit of world leaders since 2019 as the 2020 and 2021 sessions were converted into virtual meetings because of the Covid-19 pandemic, The News reported.

According to a Daily Dawn report, Sharifis expected to attend the inaugural session of the UN General Assembly on September 20 and on the same day he will address a summit meeting on education reforms, which will also consider how to deal with the pandemic's negative impact on education.