ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s finance minister Shaukat Tarin received United Arab Emirates Ambassador Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al Zaabi at his office on Thursday and discussed various aspects of the bilateral relations between the two countries.

According to an official handout circulated by the finance division, they agreed that the ties between the two states were built on “strong foundations of religious brotherhood and cultural homogeneity.”

“Both the dignitaries expressed their satisfaction over the current status of the strong ties between the two countries and pledged to further cement the mutual relationship,” said the statement.

The two officials also discussed the emerging challenges on the world stage, saying that circumstances required their countries to work more closely together and deepen their diplomatic bond.

Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates have enjoyed cordial relations since the formation of the Gulf state in 1971.

However, their bilateral ties acquired a more strategic dimension in recent years when the UAE pledged $3 billion in 2018 to help stave off a balance-of-payments crisis in Pakistan.

The UAE has also employed a large number of Pakistani nationals who send significant remittances to their home country.