ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Thursday conferred Nishan-e-Pakistan award on Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Islamabad early Thursday.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, and First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari welcomed the crown prince at the Noor Khan Airbase in Islamabad as he began his one-day official visit.
Later, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates have exchanged documents regarding agreements and Memoranda of Understanding for cooperation in various fields including mining, railways, banking and infrastructure.
The signing ceremony, which was attended by both Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, witnessed officials from both sides exchanging pre-signed documents.
Federal cabinet members, Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, and the UAE delegation were also present at the event.
Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed his satisfaction with the discussions, emphasizing the importance of strengthening Pakistan-UAE relations: “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!” the Prime Minister posted on X (formerly Twitter).
This visit underscores the deep-rooted fraternal ties between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and reflects the shared commitment to further strengthen bilateral economic partnership,” Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Pakistan and Uzbekistan signed multiple agreements, aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in defence, technology, technical training, and youth empowerment.
The agreements were signed during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s two-day visit to Uzbekistan, at the invitation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Both countries also agreed to work towards expanding bilateral trade to $2 billion.
