ISLAMABAD: United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan’s visit to the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, which was scheduled for today, has been postponed “due to weather conditions,” the Pakistani information minister said on Monday.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed was to arrive in Islamabad on a one-day visit, where he was scheduled to hold a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
However, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said Monday afternoon the visit had now been postponed to a later date.
“Due to weather conditions, President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visit to the friendly Islamic Republic of Pakistan scheduled for today has been postponed to a later date,” Aurangzeb said in a statement.
“His Highness was scheduled to pay an official visit today to Pakistan to discuss the friendship and cooperation relations between the UAE and Pakistan and ways to enhance them in various fields.”
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (right) meets United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan in Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan, on January 25, 2023. (Photo courtesy: WAM/File)
On January 25, the UAE president arrived in Pakistan’s Rahim Yar Khan city on a private visit. PM Sharif welcomed him at the Rahim Yar Khan airport, followed by a meeting between the two leaders.
The two figures discussed issues of bilateral interest at the meeting, wherein Sheikh Mohamed assured that his country would “always stand by Pakistan,” a statement from PM Sharif’s office said. His comments came after the UAE announced to roll over its existing deposit of $2 billion in Pakistan’s central bank.
The UAE president agreed to lend an additional $1 billion to help the Pakistani government that has been actively seeking external financing from allies and multilateral organizations to manage the ongoing economic crisis in the South Asian nation, according to the PM office statement.
Pakistan and the UAE enjoy close fraternal ties for five decades that are rooted firmly in common belief and shared values and culture. The UAE is Pakistan’s largest trading partner in the Middle East and a major source of investments.
