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ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump will meet the leaders of Muslim countries Pakistan, ��������, UAE, Turkiye, Indonesia and others today, Tuesday, in a multilateral meeting at the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed.

Pakistan’s foreign office said on Sunday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would join “select” leaders of Muslim countries in a meeting with Trump at the sidelines of the UNGA. The foreign office had said both sides “would exchange views on issues pertaining to regional and international peace and security.”

The meeting takes place at a crucial time for the Middle East region as Israel ramps up its military operations in Gaza, where it has killed over 65,000 people since October 2023. Several Muslim nations have rallied against the Israeli forces and urged the international community to hold Tel Aviv accountable for the killing of innocent civilians.

“The president will also later in the day hold a multilateral meeting with Qatar, the Kingdom of ��������, Indonesia, Turkiye, Pakistan, Egypt, the UAE and Jordan,” Leavitt said during a press briefing on Monday. 

Pakistan’s PM arrived in New York on Monday to attend the 80th session of the UNGA, which takes place amid raging conflicts in the Middle East, Ukraine and rising tensions in the South Asia region, from Sept.23-29.

Sharif’s meeting with Trump also reflects Pakistan’s improving ties with Washington. After years of strained relations during the Joe Biden administration over differences on several key issues, Islamabad and Washington have warmed up to each other during Trump’s ongoing tenure.

Pakistan praised the American president and nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize after he brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan on May 10. The militaries of the two nuclear-armed neighbors had engaged in the worst fighting between them since 1999, killing over 70 on both sides of the border before Washington intervened.

Pakistan’s ties with the US also improved after Washington’s relations with India took a turn for the worse when Trump announced trade tariffs against New Delhi earlier this year. Islamabad and Washington, on the other hand, finalized a trade deal.

Sharif, who is in the US to lead Pakistan’s delegation during the UNGA session, will draw the world’s attention to atrocities in Palestine and Kashmir, hold bilateral meetings with world leaders and senior UN officials and also attend key seminars and events.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is celebrating the Saudi National Day today, Tuesday, with greater zeal after both countries signed a landmark defense agreement this month, official said, reaffirming their commitment to further strengthening their brotherly ties and expanding cooperation across every sphere.

The Saudi National Day is celebrated each year on September 23 to commemorate the proclamation of the Kingdom of �������� in 1932 by King Abdulaziz. This year, it comes days after Pakistan and the Kingdom signed a ‘Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement.’

Under the pact signed in Riyadh, aggression against one country would be treated as an attack on both. The deal, sealed during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s state visit to the Kingdom this month, is meant to enhance joint deterrence and deepen decades of military and security cooperation.

To mark the Saudi National Day, Pakistan’s capital Islamabad has been decorated with Saudi flags and pictures of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, with buildings adorned with green lights symbolizing the color of the Saudi flag.

“Every single time, whether it was economic hardship, or if there was any kind of defense-related situation, we always found the Kingdom [of ��������] by our side and every single time, any issue, if Saudi [Arabia] needed support of Pakistan on any issue, whether it be foreign policy or any other issue, we have been by their side,” Musadik Malik, Pakistan’s climate change minister who is also the focal person for Pakistan-�������� bilateral collaboration, told Arab News, explaining the depth of their bilateral ties.

“This formalization [of a defense agreement] has created a new zeal among the people of Pakistan and also the people of the Kingdom of ��������. So, I think, you would see the same things, all those things that have been happening forever, but with a greater zeal.”

This is the first time Pakistan will hold the Saudi National Day ceremony at the spacious Convention Center building in Islamabad on Tuesday evening, which is likely to be attended by top Pakistani government functionaries, officials of the Saudi embassy and other dignitaries.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and PM Sharif issued their special congratulatory messages for the occasion.

“On behalf of the people of Pakistan, I extend my heartfelt felicitations to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, and to the brotherly people of the Kingdom of �������� on the occasion of their National Day,” Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari said in a statement on Tuesday.

“This day is a reminder of how, in a relatively short span of time, �������� has set remarkable examples of progress and stability under its wise and determined leadership.”

The bond between Pakistan and �������� is rooted in trust, devotion and brotherhood, according to the president.

“For the people of Pakistan, our spiritual connection with the Kingdom is deepened by the presence of Islam’s two holiest sites— the Holy Ka’aba and the Masjid-e-Nabwi. This sacred link lends an enduring strength and uniqueness to our friendship,” he said.

“We take pride in the fact that in recent days our ties have reached new milestones. The fresh partnership forged in the fields of defense and security is not only a reflection of our mutual trust but also a vital step toward peace and stability in the region.”

In his message on the Saudi National Day, PM Sharif extended his warmest congratulations to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed and the people of �������� for the exceptional development journey of the Kingdom.

“Millions of Pakistanis consider �������� their second home, and are actively involved in its construction and development. The services of Pakistani brotherhood in �������� are the cause of cordial relations, prosperity and progress between the two brotherly countries,” he said.

“Today, on the occasion of ��������’s National Day, I reiterate my resolve on behalf of Pakistan that we are determined to further strengthen this long-lasting partnership. May Allah Almighty always bless the Kingdom of �������� with progress and glory.”