Abu Dhabi Crown Prince welcomed by Pakistan's leaders for historic visit

Islamabad: Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has arrived in Islamabad for his first official visit to Pakistan, invited by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The crown prince was welcomed at the airport by Prime Minister Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, and First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday, despite rainy weather.

This visit highlights the strong friendship between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and shows their shared goal of strengthening their economic partnership, according to a statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Office.

During his visit, the crown prince will meet with Pakistan’s leadership to discuss issues of mutual interest, reinforce historical ties, and promote cooperation in trade and investment.

Several agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed during the visit to enhance the long-term collaboration between the two nations in various sectors.

On Wednesday, Pakistan and Uzbekistan signed several agreements to boost their cooperation in areas like defense, technology, training, and youth empowerment. The agreements were made during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s two-day visit to Uzbekistan, at the invitation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Both countries also agreed to work towards increasing bilateral trade to $2 billion.

After their talks, Prime Minister Sharif and President Mirziyoyev oversaw the signing of documents, which included agreements on visa-free travel for diplomats, military intelligence, and training in different fields. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov exchanged the signed documents.