Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif To Meet Trump On Sept 23 During UN General Assembly

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump on September 23 on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, according to Pakistani media reports citing high level sources. The meeting comes as Islamabad seeks to strengthen its ties with Washington while navigating tensions involving India, Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are scheduled to host a reception dinner for heads of state and government attending the UNGA at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel on Madison Avenue on September 23. Sharif has reportedly received an invitation and is expected to interact with Trump and other world leaders at the gathering.

Sharif is expected to arrive in New York a day before the dinner and address the UN General Assembly on September 25. Pakistani sources say he is likely to raise India’s decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance and the Kashmir issue during his speech. India suspended the 1960 treaty after the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, saying the move would remain until Pakistan ends support for cross border terrorism. Islamabad has denied involvement in the attack.

The Trump Sharif meeting would be their latest high level interaction. They met at the White House in September 2025 and later at the Sharm el Sheikh Peace Summit in Egypt in October 2025. Sharif also travelled to Washington in February 2026 for the inaugural Trump backed Board of Peace meeting.

The September meeting comes amid a changing regional security landscape. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, under which an armed attack against one of the three countries is to be regarded as an attack against all.

The pact has gained fresh attention following recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. Pakistan has warned Iran to rein in the Houthis, but Islamabad said on September 10 that no military response under the agreement had been discussed. Reuters also reported that Pakistan is trying to balance its defence commitments to Saudi Arabia with its efforts to mediate with Iran.

Sharif is expected to highlight the Makkah agreement during his UNGA engagements, alongside Pakistan’s position on regional security and its disputes with India. The UN General Debate is scheduled from September 22 to 26, with an additional sitting on September 28.