NEW YORK: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has departed for Pakistan on a previously scheduled visit and is expected to arrive in the country on Tuesday morning. During his visit, he will meet senior government officials in Islamabad, including Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, and President Asif Ali Zardari.

UN Secretary-General’s Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said during a briefing in New York that the Secretary-General is visiting Pakistan again after his previous visit in 2022, when he travelled to areas affected by Pakistan’s devastating floods.

According to the spokesperson, during his current visit, the Secretary-General will also visit the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), where he will personally observe Pakistan’s post-flood disaster preparedness and progress in strengthening resilience against climate-related and natural disasters.

António Guterres will also visit the headquarters of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) in Islamabad.

The spokesperson said that the Secretary-General’s visit would also include discussions on Pakistan’s diplomatic and mediation efforts, particularly its constructive role in facilitating dialogue between the United States and Iran and its efforts to support the process of talks between the two countries.

The UN Secretary-General is expected to return to New York on Thursday.