PM Shehbaz back after two-week foreign trip, UNGA address

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returned to Islamabad in the early hours of Friday after a two-week foreign tour that included stops in Saudi Arabia, Geneva, London, Canada and the United States. His special aircraft landed at the Pakistan Air Force base at 3:48am following a departure from Luton with a stopover in Turkiye.

The premier began his trip on September 17 with a day-long visit to Saudi Arabia before proceeding to Geneva and then London. He later travelled to Goose Bay, Canada, and onward to New York, where he addressed a special session at the United Nations General Assembly and held meetings with world leaders, including US President Donald Trump. He briefly returned to Geneva and London during the tour, also visiting elder brother and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for medical consultations.

In his UNGA remarks, the prime minister said Pakistan sought to "win peace" in South Asia, reiterating an offer of result-oriented dialogue with India on all outstanding issues. He criticised New Delhi’s attempt to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance and reaffirmed support for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination. Shehbaz linked Pakistan’s recent security response to deterrence while calling for de-escalation and regional stability.