United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is in Pakistan for a three-day official visit, using his engagements in Islamabad to call for an end to the United States Iran conflict and underline Pakistan’s role in international diplomacy.
Guterres arrived on Tuesday, 6 October for a visit that comes during the closing months of his tenure as United Nations chief, which ends on 31 December.
After meeting Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Guterres called on Washington and Tehran to end the conflict and return to diplomacy.
Speaking alongside Dar in Islamabad, he also called for the full restoration of navigational rights and freedoms in accordance with international law.
The United Nations has described the conflict’s impact on global trade as a central concern surrounding Guterres’ visit.
Guterres also praised Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate dialogue between the United States and Iran. He said Islamabad had helped create conditions that led to the 17 June Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, a subsequent ceasefire and a framework for further negotiations.
He also reiterated that lasting peace in the region requires the realisation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
Guterres said Pakistan matters not only because of its size, but because it brings an “essential perspective” to global debates.
He highlighted the country’s contribution to United Nations peacekeeping, saying more than 180 Pakistani peacekeepers had lost their lives serving the cause of peace.
He also pointed to Pakistan’s cooperation with Denmark on Security Council Resolution 2823, which strengthened accountability for crimes against United Nations peacekeepers. Guterres said 153 countries co-sponsored the resolution, the largest number of co-sponsors for a Security Council resolution in United Nations history.
Guterres met President Asif Ali Zardari, who conferred the Nishan-e-Imtiaz on the UN chief, one of Pakistan’s highest civil awards.
It was the first time Pakistan had given the honour to a United Nations Secretary-General. The award recognised Guterres’ international service, leadership of the United Nations and contribution to global peace and development.
He also visited the Islamabad headquarters of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, paying tribute to peacekeepers and highlighting the mission’s role along the Line of Control.
Guterres is expected to meet Pakistan’s senior civilian and military leadership during the visit. Pakistan’s Foreign Office said the programme includes meetings with the president, prime minister, deputy prime minister and foreign minister, and chief of defence forces and army chief.
The Pakistan visit comes as Guterres enters the final months of a decade at the helm of the United Nations.
His message from Islamabad has centred on diplomacy at a time of war, while his engagements have also brought attention to Pakistan’s role in peacekeeping, mediation and the wider multilateral system.
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