UAE | Government

UAE and Pakistan discuss new pacts

Pakistan is negotiating a number of agreements with the UAE on different fronts, said an official in the Pakistan foreign ministry.

  • By Ashfaq Ahmed, Chief Reporter
  • Published: 23:45 December 13, 2008
  • Gulf News

Dubai: Pakistan is negotiating a number of agreements with the UAE on different fronts, said an official in the Pakistan foreign ministry.

One of the most important of them is "transfer of offenders". This agreement stipulates that people, even those who are sentenced by the court, can be transferred to their respective countries.

The second important agreement, which is under discussion, is the exemption of visa for officials and diplomats from both the countries.

"It is very important for the UAE and Pakistan to cooperate on different fronts because around 900, 000 Pakistanis are currently working in the UAE, which is the second highest number in any foreign country after Saudi Arabia," said Iftekhar Aziz, director general for Middle East and Gulf at the foreign ministry.

Also, the UAE's interests are also increasing in different fields in Pakistan, especially in the investment sector.

"These two agreements were also discussed during the recent visit of President Asif Ali Zardari to the UAE and we hope to finalise them soon," said Aziz.

He explained that Agreement of Transfer of Offenders would enable both the countries to hand over even those offenders who are spending jail terms. "It is in addition to the extradition treaty, which already exists between the countries," he added.

Under the new agreement, people involved in minor crimes can also be transferred.

Another agreement between the Board of Investment of Pakistan and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority is also under talks. Aziz said Pakistan has also stepped up efforts to sign a Free Trade Agreement with Gulf countries.

"We have requested the UAE and some other countries in the GCC to use their influence to help us sign this multilateral agreement with the GCC countries," he said.

Dialogue

"During the president's visit, we wanted to establish a strategic dialogue at the highest level, as we have already been working on this issue at the level of Joint Ministerial Commission headed by foreign ministers of both the countries. We want to engage Gulf countries in various projects in Pakistan including: communication, energy, farming, banking, oil and gas, food, real estate and infrastructure development," Aziz said.

Pakistan is also asking the UAE and its private sector to invest in energy and oil sector to bail out the country.

"Although foreign direct investment has been in decline from the UAE over the last couple of year, the bilateral trade has increased significantly," he added.

Cooperation: Existing deals

  • Cooperation on illegal trafficking and drug smuggling
  • Extradition treaty
  • Cultural cooperation
  • Promotion and protection of investments
  • Trade agreement
  • Cooperation between WAM, the official news agency of the UAE, and Pakistan's official news agency APP (Associate Press of Pakistan)

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