Shehbaz Sharif Meets UAE President to Deepen Economic, Strategic Ties

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday at Sheikh Zayed Palace in Rahim Yar Khan, reaffirming both countries’ commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation.

The prime minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Ata Tarar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, and other senior officials.

The two leaders followed up on discussions from their meeting in Islamabad on Dec. 26, during Sheikh Mohamed’s first official visit to Pakistan as UAE president. Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasized his resolve to elevate Pakistan-UAE relations into a strategic, mutually beneficial economic partnership.

He called for a major increase in bilateral trade and discussed expanding cooperation in key sectors including information technology, energy, mining and minerals, and defense. The prime minister also praised the UAE’s development under Sheikh Mohamed’s leadership and thanked him for supporting closer ties.

Shehbaz expressed appreciation for the UAE’s hosting of about 2.1 million Pakistanis, noting their role in strengthening relations between the two countries. The leaders also exchanged views on a range of regional and international issues.

The meeting capped a year of intensive high-level engagements between Pakistan and the UAE.