Following Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s quite fruitful visits in quick succession to Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan exploring more investment and trade opportunities with these brotherly regional countries, Islamabad very warmly welcomed united Arab Emirates’s Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on his first-ever day-long official visit to Pakistan to mark the end of the eventful month of February 2025.
As a matter of fact, Islamabad was bracing to welcome UAE President Sheikh Moihamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan but somehow the visit could not materialize. However, the UAE Crown Prince came in furtherance of the further deepening of the existing very warm bilateral ties between the two countries with focus on investment and economic cooperation.. Needless to mention here that the PM had a very fruitful bilateral deliberations with the UAE President in Dubai earlier in February.
The warmth of the reception can well be judged by the fact that somewhat in an unusual manner, President Asif Ali Zardari, PM Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy PM Ishaq Dar besides the cabinet ministers, senior diplomatic and government officials were all present.
During the maiden official visit to Islamabad of the UAE Crown Prince, five accords were signed in different fields between the two brotherly countries for further boosting and strengthening the bilateral cooperation. The UAE crown Prince and the PM witnessed the ceremony of signing and exchange of documents by the officials concerned in the fields of banking, railways, mining and infrastructural investment.
The UAE Crown Prince and PM Shehbaz Sharif had a one-on-one meeting following delegation-level talks. The PM was reported to have stated afterwards that he had held the most fruitful discussions and resolved to further strengthen our existing excellent bilateral ties through enhanced trade , investment and energy cooperation and that with the continued encouragement and support of the UAE ‘s royal family, bilateral relations between Pakistan and the UAE were gaining strength with the passage of time and reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to continue making efforts to further strengthen the prevailing historic and fraternal bonds between both the brotherly countries.
The PM also recalled his most fruitful and productive meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohame d bin Al Nahyan earlier in February in Abu Dhabi and stated further that it was a matter of great satisfaction that both the countries were now working more closely than ever before for fostering their existing political ties into a mutually beneficial economic cooperation.
Such continued high-level frequent contacts between the UAE royal family members and Pakistan’s top civil and military leadership will surely and certainly go a long way in further promoting, cementing, strengthening as well deepening of the bilateral relations for the mutually benefits of the UAE and Pakistan and their people with the passage of time.
On his part, the UAE Crown Prince reiterated the Emirates’ continued support for Pakistan’s economic development and prosperity as was demonstrated by signing of the agreements for further strengthening bilateral ties.
As mentioned above, the warmth which was displayed at the time of the UAE Crown Prince’s arrival and his hectic engagements in Islamabad afterwards amply depicted the closeness of sincere and mutually beneficial relations between the brotherly countries. The Crown Prince’s visit will positively contribute in taking the existing relations to new heights which will obviously be mutually beneficial for Pakistan and the Emirates.
In all fairness the credit for the closeness of relations between the two countries go to the top civil and military leadership who were maintaining close contacts with the UAE ‘s royal family by frequently visiting Abu Dhabi and Dubai .
Pakistan and the UAE were major trade partners also and large number of about 1.8mmillion Pakistanis settled and working in different fields in the Emirates. They were not only making positive contributions to different fields in the UAE but also sending remittances back home to their families and contributing to their motherlands’ precious foreign exchange reserves and helping in stabilizing the staggering national economy.
Such continued high-level frequent contacts between the UAE royal family members and Pakistan’s top civil and military leadership will surely and certainly go a long way in further promoting, cementing, strengthening as well deepening of the bilateral relations for the mutually benefits of the UAE and Pakistan and their people with the passage of time.
