Pakistani premier, UN chief discuss regional peace, security issues in Islamabad

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, where they discussed regional peace and security issues.

Guterres appreciated Pakistan’s “important role as an elected member of the Security Council, including its efforts to advance the peaceful settlement of disputes, and in particular its mediation of the conflict between the United States and Iran,” according to a statement.

Sharif, meanwhile, reiterated that Pakistan “remains committed to a more effective and representative United Nations, and that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way to resolve disputes and prevent escalation,” according to a post on the US social media company X.

He said the two discussed Pakistan’s mediation efforts, UN reform, peacekeeping, regional peace, the rights of the Kashmiri and Palestinian peoples, and the need for affordable financing for developing countries.

“I also stressed the importance of a peaceful Afghanistan and concrete action against terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil,” he said.

Guterres also highlighted humanity’s shared challenges, including climate change, conflict, inequality and artificial intelligence, during his address at the Foreign Service Academy in Islamabad.

He warned that the shift toward a multipolar world does not guarantee stability, as conflicts are increasing, human suffering is deepening and international law is being undermined.

On Gaza, he called for the full implementation of the peace plan and said the two-state solution can not be “allowed” to be “bulldozed away.”

He also warned of rising debt burdens, insufficient development financing and stalled Sustainable Development Goals, while reaffirming support for reform of the international financial architecture.

On climate change, Guterres said its impacts are intensifying, with developing countries bearing disproportionate costs.

He described climate change as a “threat multiplier” driving displacement, increasing resource pressures, undermining food security and fueling instability.

He also called for AI governance to reflect the interests of all humanity, with its benefits broadly shared and its risks managed collectively.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also highlighted four priorities at the event: upholding the UN Charter and international law; placing diplomacy at the center of international relations; addressing the security implications of emerging technologies; and strengthening the UN’s legitimacy and capacity to deliver.

“Sovereign equality, territorial integrity, non-interference, the prohibition of the threat or use of force, and self-determination must be respected,” he said, adding that treaty obligations and Security Council resolutions must be implemented.

“Just and peaceful settlement of the Palestinian question and the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remain fundamental tests of this commitment,” Dar said.