Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Flees Media at UNGA Over Hafiz Saeed Query

• by Akanksha Mishra
• 2026-09-25 14:23:00

In an uncomfortable public encounter at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif faced intense diplomatic embarrassment on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Confronted by international media as he exited the high-profile summit venue, the Pakistani premier was directly pressed on his government's continued shielding of cross-border terror syndicates and its refusal to prosecute internationally designated terrorists, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) supremo Hafiz Saeed. Caught on camera, Sharif visibly evaded the inquiries, offering only a hurried dismissive hand gesture before rushing into his waiting motorcade alongside his delegation, completely refusing to answer the questions.

Cornered on Hafiz Saeed: The Awkward Exit Caught on Camera

According to video dispatches by news agency ANI, reporters directly asked the Pakistani leader: "When will you stop harboring terrorists? When will you finally prosecute Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed?" Rather than providing a coherent diplomatic response regarding Islamabad's anti-terror compliance, Sharif chose silence. Looking visibly uneasy, he waved away the media contingent and quickened his pace toward the security cordon. The diplomatic aides and security officials trailing him maintained a stony silence, swiftly shielding the prime minister from further journalistic queries. The incident has once again turned global media attention onto Pakistan’s record on terror financing, safe havens, and failure to bring UN-sanctioned terror kingpins to justice.

Diplomatic Balancing Act: Bilateral Outreach to Bangladesh Amid Strategic Scrutiny

Attempting to reset the narrative away from terrorism scrutiny, Sharif turned his focus to regional diplomatic maneuvers on the sidelines of the UN session. Taking to social media platforms, he highlighted a bilateral engagement with Bangladesh's leadership, confirming preliminary discussions centered on expanding bilateral trade and economic corridors. Strategic observers in New Delhi note that Islamabad's renewed diplomatic overtures toward Dhaka represent a calculated attempt to reset regional influence in South Asia. However, with past terror operations—such as the strikes in Pahalgam Valley that triggered India's retaliatory Operation Sindoor—still fresh in regional memory, Pakistan's evasive stance on Hafiz Saeed at the United Nations continues to overshadow its diplomatic outreach.

Previous Post

Another attack in the Persian Gulf, British ship catches fire near Qatar

Next Post

Portugal Backs Permanent UNSC Seat for India, Brazil, and Africa at UNGA