NEW YORK: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appreciated Pakistan’s role at the UN, and said that he is looking forward to visiting Pakistan.
The UN chief was speaking at a reception hosted by Pakistan Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, who renewed an invitation on behalf of the government of Pakistan.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had invited the Secretary General to visit Pakistan during their meeting on the sidelines of World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The reception dinner was attended by ambassadors from several countries representing all the world’s regions. Cuisines from all the four provinces of Pakistan were served.
Ms. Lodhi also presented to the UN chief a photograph showing him in a traditional Pakistani headdress. He greatly appreciated the photograph taken during one of his visits to Pakistan as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Guterres has on several occasions appreciated Pakistan’s generosity and hospitality in hosting millions of Afghan refugees for almost four decades.
Welcoming the Secretary General, Ambassador Lodhi said, “You have visited Pakistan many times but this is the first time you have come to the Pakistan House,” referring to the official residence of Pakistan’s Ambassador.
This was the second time Guterres graced an occasion hosted by the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN. Earlier, he attended the reception to mark Pakistan Day and expressed warm sentiments towards Pakistan on both occasions.
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