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Published 12:11 IST, September 13th 2019

Snubbed globally, Imran Khan eyes further embarrassment at UNGA in US

Pakistan PM Imran Khan will hold two meetings with Donald Trump later in September during his second visit to the United States, after taking charge in office.

Reported by: Aishwaria Sonavane
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Pakistan PM Imran Khan will hold two meetings with US President Donald Trump later in September during his second visit to the United States, after taking office. Imran Khan will be attending his first UNGA session, according to a news media report. 

Pakistan's Geo News reported that the first meeting will be held between the heads of both nations at lunch, and the second at high tea. Imran Khan's schedule of meetings during his stay has been finalised, according to the report.  Imran Khan will arrive in New York on September 21 to attend the 74th session of the UN General Assembly. He will address the UNGA on September 27. It would be his first UNGA session since he assumed office in August 2018.

READ| Hafiz Saeed arrested days before Pak PM Imran Khan's visit to US to revive sour ties between the two countries

Pakistan's UNGA agenda

Imran Khan is expected to hold talks with world leaders to appraise them over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir subsequent to the Indian Parliament's decision to abrogate Article 370 from the state on August 7. 

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will "forcefully" raise the Kashmir issue before the international community during his address to the UN General Assembly next month in New York, foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Wednesday.

Qureshi claimed India violated the Simla agreement and the "unilateral" steps in Kashmir were in total breach of the UN Security Council resolutions. "Under the Simla agreement, both Pakistan and India are bound to bilaterally resolve Kashmir dispute. Modi should tell the international community whether his 5th August's measures are bilateral or unilateral," he said.

A day ago, Pakistan quoted Opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi, Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and others in the dossier on Kashmir in a last-ditch attempt to propel their propaganda against India at the UNHRC. In the dossier accessed by Republic, the anterior of it quotes Congress leader Rahul Gandhi lambasting the curtailment of "freedom and civil liberties" in the valley and NC vice president Omar Abdullah's criticism towards the PM Modi government citing "aggression against Kashmiris."

The contents in the dossier by Islamabad attempts to fearmonger with hyperbolic interpretations of the situation in Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 and the subsequent communication blackout and military deployment in the valley due to security concerns from Pakistan backed terror outfits. Despite India's reiteration that Kashmir is India's internal matter, Islamabad has repeatedly sought the attention of the global politico-diplomatic community. However, except China, world powers including the United States, Russia, Israel, France, and others have diplomatically supported India's stand. 

READ| Imran Khan says 'unfair' to blame Pak over US' failure in Afghanistan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the annual UN General Assembly (UNGA) session on September 28, according to a provisional list released by the UN of the world leaders scheduled to speak at the 74th session of the United Nations. PM Modi is also expected to attend multiple high-level summits on the margins of the General Assembly session as well as hold bilateral and multilateral engagements during his visit to New York

Imran Khan's US visit

During his first visit to the United States, President Donald Trump offered to mediate the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan. Donald Trump, infamous for his absurd, inaccurate claim had unleashed a furore after he stated that PM Modi asked him to intervene and mediate the Kashmir issue. 

READ| Imran Khan admits 'no Muslim nation with Pakistan' on Kashmir issue

After going back and forth, Donald Trump on Monday stated that the relationship between India and Pakistan is "less heated" now, as compared to what it was two weeks ago. The US President reiterated his offer to mediate between the two Southeast Asian countries only if the neighbours were willing. Trump's comments come two weeks after his meeting with PM Modi on the sidelines of G7 Summit in France on August 26. 

Islamabad has been crying foul over the communication blackout in Kashmir, heavy military deployment and the arrest of a mainstream regional leader in the global community, despite India's claim that Kashmir was a domestic issue for India. 

(With PTI inputs)

11:22 IST, September 13th 2019