ISLAMABAD: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, on Friday paid his first official visit to Pakistan since assuming office, holding talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that focused on deepening economic cooperation and regional coordination, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
The visit, undertaken at Sharif’s invitation, comes as Pakistan seeks to strengthen ties with Gulf partners and attract foreign investment to support its economy.
The visiting leader arrived at Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, where he was received by Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and senior members of the federal cabinet. His aircraft was escorted by a formation of JF-17 fighter jets as it entered Pakistani airspace, and he was accorded a 21-gun salute.
“Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed held substantive talks with the Prime Minister,” the official statement circulated at the end of his visit said. “Both sides underscored the importance of expanding collaboration in economic cooperation, investment, energy, infrastructure development, IT, technology and people-to-people exchanges.”
“They also agreed on the need to enhance bilateral trade, which had great potential for mutually beneficial growth,” it added.
