Shehbaz-Biden meeting likely during PM’s US visit

• PM Shehbaz Sharif to embark on 5-day US visit on September 19.
• PM to meet heads of IMF and World Bank.
• Shehbaz Sharif will also attend meetings on climate change and food security.

UNITED NATIONS: Amid warming ties between Pakistan and the US, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif may have a meeting with President Joe Biden during his New York visit to attend the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, it emerged Saturday.

According to a The News report, the premier will reach the US on September 19 and depart for home on September 24 after a hectic five-day visit during which he will also hold meetings with the heads of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB).

The Pakistani PM, who will be accompanied by key members of his federal cabinet during his visit, is scheduled to address the UNGA on September 23.

Though the schedule of the premier’s meetings in the US is not known yet, PM Shehbaz, along with FM Bilawal Bhutto, may have a meeting with US President Joe Biden, the report said.

During their stay in US, Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto will attend the dinner reception hosted by President Biden for the heads of state and government.

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, PM Shehbaz Sharif will meet the presidents of Turkiye 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.

According to a Daily Dawn report, PM Shahbaz is 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.