Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Wednesday reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation across all sectors.

Pakistan and the UAE share close diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties, strengthened by historical connections and a large Pakistani expatriate community in the Emirates.

The UAE is also one of Pakistan’s largest trading partners in the Middle East and a major source of remittances, with thousands of Pakistanis working in various sectors. Both countries collaborate on defence, energy, and investment projects, with the UAE frequently providing financial aid and humanitarian assistance to Pakistan.

Dar, also the foreign minister, received a phone call from FM Nahyan, during which both leaders conveyed heartfelt Ramazan greetings to each other’s leadership and citizens, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

The two leaders also discussed the results of the Abu Dhabi crown prince’s recent visit to Pakistan, where the two countries signed five accords of cooperation.

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan embarked on the one-day visit — his first official tour to Pakistan — on February 27.

The crown prince, who was accompanied by a high-level delegation of senior officials and business leaders, first met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for a one-on-one discussion, followed by delegation-level talks.

During the visit, the two sides signed five agreements to boost bilateral cooperation in different fields, including banking, railways, mining and infrastructural investment.

The two countries also witnessed a high-level interaction on Feb 11, when PM Shehbaz met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi. The premier was visiting the Gulf country to present Pakistan’s case for climate finance at the World Governments Summit.

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