By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD - United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres will begin a three-day official visit to Pakistan on Tuesday, where he is expected to meet the country’s top leadership and discuss regional and international security, Pakistan’s role in multilateral diplomacy and its efforts to strengthen disaster preparedness.

Guterres will visit Pakistan from October 6 to 8 at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Monday.

The visit comes after Guterres met Pakistan’s leadership on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York last month. Dar said earlier that Guterres had accepted Islamabad’s invitation and was expected to visit before completing his second term as UN secretary-general at the end of 2026.

During his visit, Guterres will meet President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Dar, according to the Foreign Ministry. He will also meet Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff.

The discussions are expected to cover regional and international developments as well as Pakistan’s cooperation with the United Nations.

The UN secretary-general has previously praised Pakistan’s contribution to international diplomacy and peace efforts. At the UN General Assembly last month, Guterres also highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic role in efforts to promote dialogue in the Middle East.

Pakistan has sought to position itself as a supporter of multilateral diplomacy, particularly on conflicts and security issues affecting South Asia and the wider Muslim world.

One of the significant stops during the visit will be the headquarters of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP).

UNMOGIP was established in 1949 to monitor the ceasefire between India and Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir. The UN mission continues to observe developments related to the ceasefire and report to the UN secretary-general.

Guterres’ visit to the mission comes against the backdrop of continuing tensions between India and Pakistan over Jammu and Kashmir and other bilateral disputes.

Pakistan has long supported the UN role in the region and has repeatedly called for the Kashmir dispute to be resolved in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Guterres will also visit Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), where he will receive a briefing on the country’s disaster preparedness and early-warning systems.

The issue has particular significance for Pakistan, which has suffered repeated devastating floods and other climate-related disasters. The UN says climate-related disasters have caused tens of billions of dollars in damage in Pakistan over the past two decades, with the 2025 monsoon floods alone affecting millions of people.

Guterres previously visited Pakistan in September 2022 after catastrophic floods submerged large parts of the country. During that visit, he called for greater international support for flood victims and highlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable countries.

The UN secretary-general's upcoming visit to the NDMA will provide an opportunity for Pakistan to showcase progress in disaster preparedness, early-warning systems and resilience since the 2022 floods.

The visit will be one of Guterres’ final major engagements with Pakistan before his term as UN secretary-general ends on December 31.

The UN secretary-general is expected to return to New York after the visit. UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said the trip would also highlight Pakistan’s longstanding contributions to the United Nations, including its role in peacekeeping and diplomacy.

For Islamabad, the visit offers an opportunity to reinforce its relationship with the UN and highlight its positions on regional peace, international security, climate change and multilateral cooperation.

For Guterres, the visit will provide an opportunity to assess Pakistan’s role in regional diplomacy and its efforts to strengthen resilience against increasingly severe climate-related disasters.