Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral relations and expanding economic cooperation through a series of high-level engagements.
Minister of State for Finance and Railways, Bilal Azhar Kayani, met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, where he conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and reiterated an invitation for the Emirati leader to visit Pakistan. Both leaders underlined their resolve further to enhance the brotherly ties between the two nations.
Separately, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with UAE Minister of State Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh. The discussion centred on strengthening economic collaboration and exploring new opportunities in trade, investment, and connectivity.
These engagements build on the momentum from the 12th Pakistan-UAE Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) held in June 2025 in Abu Dhabi. The session resulted in agreements across multiple sectors, including banking, aviation, energy, defence, food security, climate change, IT, higher education, and manpower. MoUs were also signed on visa exemptions, investments, and cooperation in artificial intelligence and the digital economy.
The UAE remains Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding $10.9 billion in FY 2023-24. Additionally, remittances from over 1.5 million Pakistanis working in the UAE reached $6.7 billion last year, with expectations to surpass $7 billion in 2025. The UAE also continues to play a key role in Pakistan’s economy through major investments in telecommunications, tourism, oil and gas, housing, and real estate.
The latest interactions reaffirm the long-standing strategic and economic partnership between Pakistan and the UAE, signalling deeper cooperation in the years ahead.
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