ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi are scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 26, setting the stage for a high-profile diplomatic day in New York.
According to well-placed UNGA sources, Modi will speak in the morning session as the sixth speaker, while Shehbaz Sharif is slated as the 15th speaker, expected to deliver his remarks in the late afternoon.
Diplomatic observers note that this sequence will provide Shehbaz Sharif an opportunity to directly rebut Modi’s remarks, particularly if the Indian leader levels allegations against Pakistan during his address.
The UNGA summit will officially commence on September 23 with a high-level reception hosted by US President Donald Trump for world leaders. Prime Minister Shehbaz has also been invited to the reception, which coincides with his birthday.
This will be the second time in less than a month that Shehbaz and Modi will be under the same roof. Earlier this week, both leaders attended the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China, where despite sharing the venue for two days, they refrained from any interaction or even a handshake.
While the upcoming UNGA session will once again bring the two South Asian rivals face-to-face, diplomatic insiders say there is little chance of a bilateral meeting between Shehbaz and Modi during the summit.
