The United Arab Emirates’ Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Pakistan on Sunday evening for a two-day official visit, the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement.

Pakistan and the UAE share close diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties. The UAE is one of Pakistan’s largest trading partners in the Middle East and a major source of remittances, with a large Pakistani expatriate population living and working there.

According to a post by the FO on X, the Emirati DPM was received by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad.

“This high-level visit reflects the deep-rooted, fraternal relations between Pakistan and the UAE, and underscores the two countries’ shared commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation across all areas of mutual interest,” a statement from the FO said.

Nahyan is expected to hold talks with his Pakistani counterpart on “the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, with particular focus on trade and investment, energy cooperation, regional security and people-to-people linkages”.

“His Highness Sheikh Abdullah will also call on … Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The call will reaffirm the shared vision for peace and prosperity in the region,” the FO added.

The FO said that the visit would “further cement … longstanding Pakistan-UAE ties and contribute to deepening bilateral engagements in diverse fields, benefitting the peoples of both countries”.

Nahyan’s visit comes after the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi, on April 8 announced that Pakistanis could avail a five-year visa after the resolution of existing issues.

The DPM arrived in the capital amid increased security, according to a statement by Islamabad Police on X, which said that a “foreign guest” would be present in the city.

“Due to the arrival of a foreign guest in Islamabad on 20 April 2025, from 7pm to 9pm, extraordinary security arrangements have been made at various times at Karal Chowk, Express Highway, Khanna Pul, Faizabad, Club Road, and Radio Pakistan Chowk,” the Islamabad Police wrote.

“Due to the route, there will be some temporary disruptions in traffic flow on the Express Highway. Traffic will experience slowdowns,” the statement added.

Citizens were advised to use the service road connected to the Express Highway and to leave for their destination 20 minutes early.