Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on mutual visa exemption during the 12th session of the Pakistan-UAE Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC), the Foreign Office (FO) said on Wednesday.

The session was held following a hiatus of 13 years after it was scheduled in October 2024. The last session was held in Islamabad from November 6-7, 2013.

The FO said in a statement that the session, held in Abu Dhabi a day ago, was co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.

“Prior to the formal proceedings, a working group meeting of the JMC was held under the leadership of Special Assistant to the PM Tariq Bajwa and Minister of State of the UAE Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, the statement said.

“The JMC reviewed the full scope of bilateral relations and agreed on concrete measures to strengthen cooperation in trade, banking, culture, investment, aviation, railways, energy, food security, climate change, defence, healthcare, manpower, higher education and information technology.”

It also said that both sides emphasised promoting institutional mechanisms and inter-ministerial coordination, and discussed regional and global developments.

“A protocol, outlining procedural frameworks for follow-up actions, coordination through sectoral working groups and facilitation for reciprocal visits, was also signed,” the statement added.

According to FO, “In addition to the protocol of the session, MoU on ‘Mutual Exemption of Entry Visa Requirements’ and ‘Establishment of a Joint Task Force to Promote Investments’ as well as an Agreement on ‘Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy’ were signed.”

In a post on X, Dar said that he signed an agreement with Al-Nahyan on “mutual visa exemption for the holders of diplomatic and official passports of our two countries”.

“This important step reflects our shared resolve to further strengthen our fraternal ties and deepen institutional collaboration across all levels,” he added.

The FO said that both sides expressed satisfaction with the outcomes and agreed to hold the 13th Session of the JMC in Pakistan on mutually agreed-upon dates.

“The successful convening of the JMC session underscores the deep-rooted and multifaceted relationship between Pakistan and the UAE and their shared vision for a dynamic and progressive partnership,” it added.

The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States, is home to more than a million Pakistani expatriates and is the second-largest source of remittances after Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UAE, Faisal Tirmizi, had said that the bilateral trade between Pakistan and the UAE exceeded US$10.9 billion in the fiscal year 2023–24, including goods and services.

Earlier this month, PM Shehbaz Sharif met UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his official one-day visit to the Gulf state, where he discussed matters of bilateral and regional interest.

The high-level engagement aimed at reaffirming Pakistan’s gratitude to friendly nations that supported Islamabad’s position during its recent standoff with New Delhi.