UAE deputy PM to visit Pakistan on Apr. 20 to strengthen bilateral ties

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Ishaq Dar, meets Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (right), in Abu Dhabi on February 21, 2025. (UAE Foreign Ministry/File)
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Updated 18 April 2025
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UAE deputy PM to visit Pakistan on Apr. 20 to strengthen bilateral ties

  • Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan will undertake a two-day official visit to Pakistan
  • Pakistan and the UAE have moved closer in recent years to deepen economic cooperation

ISLAMABAD: United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan will arrive in Pakistan on a two-day official visit starting April 20 to strengthen bilateral cooperation, state media reported on Friday.
Pakistan and the UAE have deepened their economic partnership in recent years. The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States, and a major source of foreign investment, with over $10 billion invested in the last two decades.
“Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan will undertake a two-day official visit to Pakistan from Sunday,” Radio Pakistan said on Friday.
It added that the visit reflected the “deep-rooted” ties between the two countries and underscored their shared commitment to cooperation across all areas of mutual interest.
The UAE is home to over a million Pakistani expatriates — the second-largest overseas Pakistani community globally — and a major source of remittance inflows to Pakistan.
Policymakers in Islamabad view the UAE as an ideal export destination due to its geographic proximity, which lowers freight costs and facilitates smoother trade.
In recent months, the two countries have signed a series of agreements to boost economic ties.
In February, during the Abu Dhabi crown prince’s visit to Pakistan, the two sides signed accords in mining, railways, banking and infrastructure.
Last year in January, Pakistan and the UAE signed deals worth more than $3 billion covering railways, economic zones and infrastructure development.


Pakistan president meets UAE counterpart, explores trade, investment opportunities

Updated 27 January 2026
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Pakistan president meets UAE counterpart, explores trade, investment opportunities

  • Asif Ali Zardari is in UAE on four-day visit to strengthen bilateral ties, review bilateral cooperation
  • Both sides discuss regional, international developments, reaffirm commitment to promote peace

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari met his UAE counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday during which both sides explored new opportunities in trade, investment, energy and other sectors, Zardari's office said. 

Zardari arrived in Abu Dhabi on Monday evening with a high-level delegation on a four-day official visit to the UAE to review trade, economic and security cooperation. 

"The leaders discussed ways to further deepen the longstanding and brotherly relations between Pakistan and the UAE," a statement from Zardari's office said about his meeting with the UAE president. 

"They reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation and explored new opportunities in trade, investment, energy, infrastructure, technology, and people-to-people exchanges, highlighting the significant potential for expanding economic and strategic partnership.

Zardari highlighted the significance of Al-Nayhan's visit to Pakistan last month, the statement said, expressing appreciation for the UAE's continued support for strengthening bilateral ties.

It said both sides also exchanged views on a range of regional and international developments, reaffirming their commitment to promoting peace, stability and sustainable development.

The meeting was also attended by Pakistan's First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, the Pakistani president's son Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Pakistan's ambassador to the UAE. 

ZARDARI MEETS AD PORTS CEO

Zardari earlier met AD Ports Group CEO Captain Mohamed Juma Al-Shamisi to discuss the group's investment initiatives in Karachi. 

"Both sides agreed that the expansion and modernization of port infrastructure would strengthen trade flows and support Pakistan’s broader economic development and country’s seaborne trade," the President's Secretariat said in a statement.

It added that Zardari described the AD Ports Group's long-term investment and expanding role in Pakistan's maritime and logistics sector as a key pillar of Pakistan–UAE economic cooperation.

Pakistan and the UAE maintain close political and economic relations, with Abu Dhabi playing a pivotal role in supporting Islamabad during periods of financial stress through deposits, oil facilities and investment commitments. 

The UAE is Pakistan's third-largest trading partner, after China and the United States, and a key destination for Pakistani exports, particularly food, textiles and construction services.

The Gulf state is also home to more than 1.5 million Pakistani expatriates, one of the largest overseas Pakistani communities in the world, who contribute billions of dollars annually in remittances, a crucial source of foreign exchange for Pakistan’s economy.

Beyond trade and labor ties, Pakistan and the UAE have steadily expanded defense and security cooperation over the years, including military training, joint exercises and collaboration in counter-terrorism and regional security matters.