ABU DHABI, Nov 25: The Abu Dhabi National Energy Company has expressed interest in setting up a coal-based power plant in Pakistan.

The company’s vice-president, Mr Abdullah Khunji, called on President Asif Ali Zardari here on Tuesday and indicated willingness to invest in power sector.

The president assured him of government’s full support and cooperation.

Mr Khunji later told reporters that Pakistan was the best place for investment and his company would soon launch its energy projects in the country.

Emirates Investment Group chairman Tariq Al Qasimi also called on President Zardari and exchanged views with him on global and regional economic situation. He expressed his group’s desire to invest in Pakistan’s financial sector.

The president said his government encouraged foreign investments in energy, agriculture, construction, infrastructure development and banking and financial sectors.

Mr Qasimi told reporters his company had its presence in Pakistan and was exploring new avenues of investment in agriculture and banking sectors.

UAE Minister for Petroleum Mohammad Dhaen Al Halimi also met President Zardari and discussed with him prospects of cooperation in energy and oil and gas sectors.

Mr Halimi said his government was encouraging its private sector to invest in Pakistan’s energy and petroleum sectors.

The president praised the UAE for investing $5 billion on a refinery in Balochistan and expressed the hope the private sector would invest more in joint venture projects in petroleum and energy sectors. He offered Pakistan’s technical expertise to the UAE in energy sector development.

Mr Halimi told reporters that during the meeting various areas of joint ventures had been identified. Prospects of investment in oil and gas exploration were also discussed.

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, PM’s Adviser on Finance Shaukat Tarin, Pakistan’s Ambassador Khurshid Ahmad Junejo, Ambassador-at-Large Javed Malik and Board of Investment Chairman Salim Mandviwala attended the meetings.

President Zardari also visited the mausoleum of Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan, the founder of the United Arab Emirates, and offered fateha.—APP