Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said he would work towards improving relations between Pakistan and United Arab Emirates (UAE) saying, “The UAE has a special place in the hearts of Pakistani people.”
FM Qureshi said that maintaining cordial relations with the UAE would be one of the priorities of Pakistan’s new government.
The foreign minister made the remarks in his meeting with the Ambassador of UAE to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Ebrahim Salem Al Za’abi in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Al Za’abi made a courtesy call on the foreign minister to congratulate him on assuming office of the Foreign Minister of Pakistan and conveyed to him best wishes of the UAE leadership.
Pakistan’s new foreign minister warmly reciprocated the sincere wishes of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. He maintained that UAE had a special place in the hearts of Pakistani people as it is home to 1.6 million strong Pakistani diaspora. The people of Pakistan and UAE are the foundation of the strong relations between the two nations, he said.
Pronouncing UAE as an important trade and investment partner of Pakistan, Qureshi proposed the revival of leadership level contacts between the two countries and an early convening of Joint Ministerial Commission, to put the relations back on an upward track.
In his meeting with the Ambassador of UAE, Qureshi expressed gratitude for Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed’s steady support to the cause of polio eradication in Pakistan and other development and humanitarian projects.
The foreign minister also expressed the hope to meet his UAE counterpart on the sidelines of the 73rd UN General Assembly session in New York next month.
Al Za’abi also welcomed proposals made by Qureshi and expressed the desire of UAE leadership to work closely with Pakistan’s new leadership to push forward their people-oriented agenda.
The two officials agreed to accelerate signing of visa-waiver agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders and rationalisation of business visa fee on a reciprocal basis. The UAE Ambassador extended an invitation to the FM to participate in Sir Bani Yas Forum in UAE later this year.
Earlier, UAE President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai in a phone call extended sincere congratulations to Imran Khan on his election as Pakistan’s new prime minister, wishing him success in his new role.
