The government and the United Arab Emirates on Thursday signed five accords to boost bilateral cooperation in different fields on the occasion of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s first official visit to Pakistan.
Pakistan and the UAE share close diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties. The UAE is one of Pakistan’s largest trading partners in the Middle East and a major source of remittances, with a large Pakistani expatriate population living and working there.
The documents were signed in different fields, including banking, railways, mining and infrastructural investment. The crown prince and the prime minister witnessed the ceremony as officials from both sides exchanged the pre-signed documents of agreements and Memorandums of Understanding for cooperation in various fields.
Federal cabinet members, Chief of the Army Staff General Asim Munir and members of the UAE delegation were also present.
Abu Dhabi’s crown prince later met PM Shehbaz and discussed matters of bilateral interest.
Welcoming the crown prince, PM Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to further strengthen its historic and fraternal bonds with the UAE.
Recalling his meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi earlier this month, Shehbaz said that it was a matter of huge satisfaction that the two countries were now working more closely than ever before to transform their excellent political ties into a mutually beneficial economic partnership.
The premier also said that the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway Line was discussed during his recent visit to Uzbekistan, which showed keen interest in the project. He added that the project wouls benefit the ports of Gwadar and Abu Dhabi and would prove to be a game changer for the whole region.
PM Shehbaz lauded the UAE’s consistent and strong support for Pakistan in various fields, including at difficult times. He deeply appreciated the keen interest shown by the UAE in expanding its investment portfolio in Pakistan and remarked that the recent successful investment initiatives between various Pakistani entities and Abu Dhabi Ports were a shining example of this “robust and ever-expanding cooperation”.
Sheikh Khaled, who was accompanied by a delegation comprising senior officials and business leaders, thanked the premier and reaffirmed the UAE’s steadfast support for Pakistan’s economic development and prosperity.
“We held the most fruitful discussions and resolved to further strengthen our excellent bilateral ties, through enhanced trade, investment & energy cooperation. With the encouragement and support of the UAE’s royal family, Pakistan-UAE ties are growing from strength to strength!” PM Shehbaz said in a post on X about the talks.
President Zardari confers Nishan-i-Pakistan
President Asif Ali Zardari conferred the Nishan-i-Pakistan award upon the crown prince in recognition of his services and unwavering support for Pakistan.
The top civilian award was conferred at a special investiture ceremony held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr and attended by PM Shehbaz, First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, federal ministers, diplomats, and senior government officials.
The president earlier held a meeting with the UAE official where the two reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral ties, particularly in the areas of business, infrastructure development, culture and people-to-people contacts.
Welcoming the crown prince, the president said that Pakistan and UAE enjoyed long-standing people-to-people and cultural ties spanning over three generations, and emphasised the need to pass on this legacy to future generations to further cement the historic bond.
Zardari appreciated the development achieved by the UAE under its dynamic leadership and expressed Pakistan’s appreciation for the UAE’s unwavering support to the country and cooperation in various sectors.
He emphasised the importance of fostering closer economic and trade relations and invited UAE investors to explore new opportunities in Pakistan’s emerging sectors.
Sheikh Khaled reiterated the UAE’s commitment to enhancing its cooperation with Pakistan and said the MoUs signed during his visit reflected the trust and enduring relations between the two countries.
Arrival in Pakistan
Upon his arrival at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad, the Abu Dhabi crown prince was presented with a guard of honour by a contingent of the armed forces, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
The national anthems of both countries were played, while a cultural troupe representing all four provinces also performed on the occasion.
The crown prince landed earlier today at Rawalpindi’s Nur Khan Airbase as he began his one-day official visit, which is focused on investment and economic cooperation.
He was received by President Asif Ali Zardari, PM Shehbaz, Deputy PM Ishaq Dar and First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari. Other cabinet members, along with senior diplomatic and government officials, were present as well.
Prince Khaled shook hands with the president, the premier, and the deputy PM as they greeted him, while two children clad in traditional dress presented him with bouquets.
The venue was decorated with the flags of Pakistan and the UAE while a group of kids also welcomed the dignitary by waving the flags of both countries.
The crown prince is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers and senior officials, as well as prominent business leaders.
Pakistan and the UAE are set to sign several agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) during the visit to “bolster [the] existing robust framework for long-term collaboration in multifaceted sectors”, according to the Foreign Office (FO).
“These commitments are expected to open new opportunities for joint ventures and projects aimed at furthering economic cooperation between both the countries and their peoples,” the FO said yesterday.
It added that the crown prince would engage with the Pakistani leadership on matters of mutual interest while reinforcing historical ties and fostering economic and investment cooperation.
“This visit underscores the deep-rooted fraternal ties between Pakistan and the UAE and reflects the shared commitment to further strengthen bilateral economic partnership,” the FO highlighted.
“Pakistan and the UAE have always enjoyed a relationship characterised by mutual respect, trust, and shared aspirations,” it said.
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The FO noted that the crown prince’s visit “demonstrated both countries’ commitment to “elevate the mutual cooperation, reflective of growing partnership and robust people-to-people linkages”.
Pakistan and the UAE witnessed a high-level interaction on February 11, when PM Shehbaz met with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi. The premier was visiting the Gulf country to present Pakistan’s case for climate finance at the World Governments Summit.
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