ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif here on Friday and discussed matters of mutual interest.
The prime minister reaffirmed the importance Pakistan attached to its fraternal relations with the UAE, and extended the best wishes for the continued progress and prosperity of its brotherly people.
He highlighted the extensive devastation caused by the recent floods across Pakistan and the response of the government to address the dire situation. In this regard, he expressed gratitude for the relief assistance provided by the UAE for the flood-stricken people and for establishing an air corridor to provide humanitarian assistance.
The prime minister added that Pakistan was committed to further deepen its relations with the United Arab Emirates in all areas of common interest.
Pakistan and the UAE enjoy close fraternal ties for five decades that are rooted firmly in common belief and shared values and culture. The UAE is Pakistan’s largest trading partner in the Middle East and a major source of investments.
Pakistan desires Japanese investment
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Friday said Pakistan was desirous of Japanese investment in the projects of solar energy, cleaning drinking water and treatment, and drainage of waste water and materials.
The prime minister expressed these views while talking to a delegation of Japanese companies based in Pakistan, led by Japan’s Vice Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry Satomi Ryuji. Japan’s Ambassador to Pakistan Wada Mitsuhiro was also present on the occasion.
He said Pakistan was speedily moving towards benefitting from sources of renewable energy like solar, wind and hydel as the money being spent on the expensive oil, gas and other fuels was an intolerable burden on the economy.
The PM said Pakistan was initiating on emergency basis projects for generation of 10,000 megawatts of solar power.
For the purpose, the government had prepared an effective investment plan and had already held a pre-bid conference of the stakeholders, he told.
Under the solarization project, he said, solar parks would be established and government buildings, commercial centers and tube-wells would be converted to solar energy to save precious foreign exchange.
He said Pakistan wanted investment of the Japanese companies under the public private partnership mode for setting up projects for provision of clean drinking water and treatment and drainage of waste water and materials in Karachi.
The prime minister thanked the government and people of Japan for the financial assistance of $7 million and for their expression of sympathy on the loss of precious lives during the recent unprecedented devastating floods in Pakistan.
Minister for Board of Investment Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister of State for Industry and Production Syed Murtaza Mehmood, Minister of State for Finance Dr Aisha Ghous Pasha, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatimi and officials concerned attended the meeting.
