President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Muhammad bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, has extended an official invitation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to visit the country.
This would be Shehbaz Sharif’s second visit to the UAE, but the first official visit since he assumed office.
Sources in the Pakistan Foreign Office told the Pakistani daily The News on Friday that details of the visit are being worked out and it is bound to be a productive one. The visit will likely take place in the first week of September and the prime minister would head a high-level delegation.
The UAE has already announced heavy investment in Pakistan. As an initial step, it has pledged to invest in various sectors to the tune of more than $1 billion. The sources told the paper that the prime minister will have talks with the top leaders and investors of the host country, besides discussions to devise means for further enhancing the existing cooperation in different fields.
The incumbent government is mending fences with the countries which were not comfortable during the previous PTI’s government and at the same time it is trying hard to improve existing ties with the traditional friends including the UAE.
The UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Al Zaabi will be proceeding to Abu Dhabi for consultations with his government before the visit of the Prime Minister, the paper quoted the sources as having said. Meanwhile, a high-level UAE delegation is also expected to visit Pakistan next week to discuss economic and trade cooperation.
