PM Shehbaz reaches UAE on 'important' visit

• PM Shehbaz, UAE president's discussion to focus on trade.
• Shehbaz expected to hold meetings with Emirati businessmen.
• He will meet heads of financial institutions as well.
  

ISLAMABAD: As part of his day-long visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday will hold discussions with President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on matters of mutual interests with a special focus on trade and investment.

PM Shehbaz was received by Vice President and Chairman of Presidential Court of UAE Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan upon his arrival in Abu Dhabi. Pakistani Ambassador to UAE Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Al Zaabi and other Pakistan and Emirati authorities were also present at the airport.

This is the premier’s maiden visit to the UAE since assuming the PM Office after the 2024 general elections. Shehbaz is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising the federal cabinet’s key ministers.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ataullah Tarar and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, among others, have accompanied him.

During the visit, the prime minister will hold meetings with other Emirati dignitaries, businesspersons and heads of financial institutions as well.

Pakistan and the UAE have long-standing fraternal relations deep rooted in religio-cultural affinity. Frequent high-level exchanges form a distinguishing feature of brotherly ties between the two countries.

The Pakistani envoy to the UAE Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi had returned to the UAE last weekend to fine-tune arrangements for PM Shehbaz’s visit.

The prime minister’s visit marks an important step towards further deepening multifaceted bilateral collaboration between Pakistan and the gulf nation.

United Arab Emirates Consul General in Karachi Bakheet Ateeq Al-Remeithi on April 18 said that Pakistanis had a great role in the development of Dubai.

He had said this while addressing the inauguration ceremony of an Arabic language centre in the government vocational training institute in the Buffer Zone area. The Arabic language centre was inaugurated by Al- Remeithi.

The consul general had said that Pakistanis would be given jobs on a preferential basis in every sector and students of the vocational centre would also be called to the UAE visa centre soon. He had urged the students not to believe anti-national videos on social media and delete them.