By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates, will arrive in Pakistan on Friday for his first official visit since taking office, a trip aimed at bolstering economic ties between the two nations amid a backdrop of longstanding alliances and mutual interests in the region.
The visit, at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, comes as Pakistan seeks to deepen cooperation with one of its closest Gulf partners. The capital has been festooned with Pakistani and Emirati flags, and large billboards displaying images of Sheikh Mohamed alongside President Asif Ali Zardari and Sharif line the streets. Rehearsals took place a day earlier along routes to Constitution Avenue, the heart of government, with groups in traditional attire practicing welcomes for the delegation.
“During the visit, His Highness will hold a meeting with the Prime Minister of Pakistan, where the two leaders will review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest,” Pakistan’s Foreign Office said in a statement earlier this week.
Sheikh Mohamed, who is accompanied by a high-level delegation, made a private trip to Pakistan in January, meeting Sharif in Rahim Yar Khan. But Friday’s engagement marks his inaugural official outing as president, underscoring the emirate’s commitment to the relationship. “The visit of His Highness reflects the depth of bilateral relations between the two countries, shared commitment of both sides to further enhancing collaboration in key areas, including trade, investment, energy, development, and regional stability,” the Foreign Office added.
In preparation, Islamabad declared a public holiday, closing the Pakistan Secretariat, federal institutions, the Senate and National Assembly secretariats, and courts, including the Islamabad High Court and district courts. Banks and essential services, such as those run by the Capital Development Authority, police and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, remained operational. Traffic police imposed restrictions, barring heavy vehicles from entering the city between 6 a.m. and 12:30 a.m., closing main arteries and designating alternate routes.
The United Arab Emirates ranks as Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner, behind China and the United States, and serves as a vital source of foreign investment. Over the past two decades, Emirati investments in Pakistan have surpassed $10 billion, according to the UAE’s foreign ministry. Policymakers in Islamabad view the emirate as an ideal export market, thanks to its proximity, which reduces transportation costs and eases trade.
The two countries share deep diplomatic, economic and cultural bonds, reinforced by a sizable Pakistani expatriate community in the Emirates. Thousands of Pakistanis work across sectors there, making the UAE a major contributor to remittances flowing back home. Collaboration extends to defence, energy and investment initiatives, with the Emirates often extending financial aid and humanitarian support to Pakistan.
In April, the nations signed several memorandums of understanding to fortify people-to-people connections. These included agreements on cultural cooperation, the creation of a joint committee for consular affairs, and the establishment of a UAE-Pakistan Joint Business Council between their respective chambers of commerce and industry.
“The visit will provide an important opportunity to further strengthen the longstanding brotherly relations between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates,” the Foreign Office said.
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