Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made a striking reference to New York and London while discussing his country’s counterterrorism efforts in his speech to the 80th United Nations General Assembly in September 2025.
Sharif said Pakistan had been on the frontline of the global fight against terrorism for more than two decades and pointed to the casualties and economic losses the country had suffered. He said Pakistan's security forces had contributed to international counterterrorism efforts.
“Had these terrorists not been encountered by us, they would have been roaming on the streets of New York and London, and God knows, far east,” said Sharif during the address, according to the official UN transcript.
Pakistan’s prime minister stressed that the fight against terrorism was not just for the sake of its own people but for international security. “Terrorism should be defeated worldwide, and attacks affecting people in different countries should be considered as part of a common international security challenge."
Sharif also said Pakistan had lost more than 90,000 people in its fight against terrorism and cited economic losses of around $150 billion. Sharif put those numbers in his argument about Pakistan's sacrifices in counterterrorism operations.
‘If we haven't controlled our terrorists, they would be roaming on the streets of New York or London"
— Rishi Bagree (@rishibagree) September 22, 2026
- Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif at UNGA pic.twitter.com/2bHJaAKEaG
The remarks occurred at the 2025 UNGA, where Sharif also addressed regional security, Kashmir, Palestine and international peace. His comments about terrorism were part of Pakistan’s larger message that it has suffered greatly from militant violence and has been a leader in international counterterrorism efforts.
It is important to distinguish the 2025 remarks from the 2026 UNGA schedule. Sharif arrived in New York on September 21, 2026, for the 81st session of the General Assembly. Pakistan's official government broadcaster said his 2026 address is scheduled for September 25, 2026, with terrorism, regional security, climate change, sustainable development and other international issues among the subjects Pakistan plans to highlight.
Therefore, the viral quote about terrorists potentially roaming the streets of New York and London should not be presented as a statement made during his 2026 UNGA address. It belongs to his September 26, 2025 speech.
The mention of the remark comes as Sharif prepares to address the UN again in 2026, at a time when terrorism and regional security are on the agenda of Pakistan's international diplomacy.
