President Zardari arrives in UAE for 4-day official visit

President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday night arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a four-day official visit.

According to a handout from the Presidency, the president was received by UAE Justice Minister Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi.

It said that First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi were accompanying the president on the trip, adding that Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UAE Shafqat Ali Khan was also present on the occasion.

Shortly after arriving, he held a meeting with the UAE justice minister at the presidential flight terminal at the airport.

A statement released by the Foreign Office earlier in the day said that the president, accompanied by a high-level delegation, will undertake the visit from January 26 to 29.

“During the visit, the president will hold high-level meetings with the UAE’s leadership to review the full spectrum of bilateral ties, especially on the domains of trade and economic people-to-people ties,” the statement said.

The discussion will also focus on regional and international issues of mutual interest, the FO added.

It highlighted that Zardari’s trip, which follows the brief visit of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Pakistan last month, “reflects the deep brotherly ties between the two nations and reaffirms commitment to transforming the strong friendship between Pakistan and the UAE into a mutually rewarding partnership”.

During the UAE president’s first official visit to Pakistan on December 26, the leadership of the two countries had held “substantive talks” focused on further strengthening the longstanding bilateral relations.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Al Nahyan also met in Rahim Yar Khan on December 30, where they both discussed ways to enhance cooperation in a wide range of sectors.

On January 13, the two countries agreed to sign a formal agreement on “pre-immigration clearance” for Pakistani nationals visiting the Gulf country.