City
Epaper

UN chief on first official visit to Pakistan

By IANS | Updated: February 16, 2020 11:30 IST

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres arrived here on Sunday on his first official visit to Pakistan to attend an international conference on Afghan refugees. He will also be visiting the holy Sikh shrine in Kartarpur.

Open in App

Islamabad, Feb 16 UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres arrived here on Sunday on his first official visit to Pakistan to attend an international conference on Afghan refugees. He will also be visiting the holy Sikh shrine in Kartarpur.

During his visit, the UN chief will speak at the international conference '40 Years of Hosting Afghan Refugees in Pakistan', reported Dawn news.

The two-day conference in Islamabad, starting on February 17, will be a recognition of Pakistan's "tremendous generosity" in hosting millions of refugees from Afghanistan over four decades, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said during a regular noon briefing at the UN Headquarters in New York on Friday.

The conference, which is being organised by the Pakistan Government and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan. Various senior US officials will also attend the conference.

Guterres is expected to meet with Imran Khan and other high-level government officials, his spokesman said.

Dujarric said the UN chief will also meet Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and speak at an event on sustainable development and climate change. The UN Secretary General will meet Pakistan President Arif Alvi on Monday.

On Tuesday, he will visit Lahore where he will meet students and attend an event on Pakistan's polio vaccination campaign.

He will also travel to Kartarpur to visit the Sikh holy site of Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib.

Responding to a question, the spokesman said the UN chief will not be visiting the disputed Kashmir region during this trip.

He is set to return to New York on Wednesday.

( With inputs from IANS )

Open in App

Related Stories

Other SportsPGTI Tour: Top stars to battle for title in inaugural Boulders Classic in Hyderabad

National'Will discharge my duty with honesty and integrity': Shivraj Chouhan on appointment as BJP central observer for Bihar

NationalK T Rama Rao alleges 'loot-and-hide scheme', targets Telangana Congress govt over corruption claims

NationalDelhi: Fire in bushes near Rajghat Bus Depot, no casualties reported

EntertainmentCameron Diaz shares her ‘biggest ick’ for guests arriving at her swanky apartment

International Realted Stories

International"False claims cannot alter reality": India dismisses China's attempt to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh

InternationalPakistan inflation hits 74-week high at 12.15 pc: Report

InternationalIndia rejects China's attempt to rename places, reaffirms Arunachal Pradesh an 'integral and inalienable part'

InternationalClerics express concern over US-Iran rift, fear wider conflict

International"UAE is a major partner": EAM Jaishankar highlights robust strategic ties during high-level visit