Pakistan accords unprecedented welcome to Mohammad

Islamabad: Pakistan rolled out red carpet and accorded fly-past in an unprecedented welcome to His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, in Islamabad on Sunday. Shaikh Mohammad’s historic trip and Pakistan’s grand gesture underline the unparalleled relations between the two brotherly countries.

Shaikh Mohammad who arrived in Islamabad on a daylong visit was given a red carpet reception when he touched down at PAF airbase Nur Khan.

Prime Minister Imran Khan received the dignitary upon his arrival and personally drove him to his house where a welcome ceremony was held in Shaikh Mohammad’s honour. The gesture by Imran Khan was highly praised on social media with some terming it car diplomacy.

To celebrate the visit and welcome the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Islamabad city was decked with huge banners with messages such as “Pakistan-UAE partners in development” and “Zayed in Our Hearts”.

At the ceremony in prime minister’s house, Shaikh Mohammad was presented with a guard of honour, a 21-gun salute, a salute by contingent of the Presidential Guards, and a spectacular fly-past salute with seven JF-17 fighter jets. The event also featured a cultural performance. The national anthems of both the countries were also played on the occasion.

This is the third interaction between the leadership of Pakistan and UAE in less than three months, symbolising the special ties between the two countries.