QUITE appreciably, Pakistan is making determined efforts for strengthening and promoting bilateral relations with friendly countries, establishing contacts with more and more countries around the globe which have not been visited somehow for a pretty long time. It is also trying to make up for the time so lost in the shortest possible time by exploring the opportunities available in meetings with top leadership and inviting them to come here and invest in different sectors for mutual benefits.
In all fairness, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif is spearheading these efforts in a committed manner not only for further boosting ties with brotherly, friendly countries all over the world but also availing every opportunity coming his way to invite more and more countries to avail the vast opportunities available here for investment in different sectors. Undoubtedly, the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) established sometime back by the PM and comprising civil and military leadership, was also making a commendable contribution for creating an investment friendly atmosphere by removing obstructions and irritants wherever noticed quickly.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was among Pakistan’s most friendly countries among others. Premier Shehbaz Sharif has visited the UAE more than a couple of times and as such enjoys good friendly relations with its top leadership. But the latest meeting between the PM and the UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, had taken place in Rahim Yar Khan in a free and frank manner and not anywhere in UAE itself . Frankness in their personal relations was quite visible as the UAE President drove the vehicle himself with the PM accompanying him and both exchanged views on matters of mutual interest in an informal and pleasant manner.
The UAE President highlighted the Emirate’s keen interest in collaboration with brotherly Pakistan in the mining, minerals, and agriculture sectors, admired the approach in which Pakistan’s economy was being stabilized quite steadily, under the right direction and economic vigour of the PM, which was appreciably creating brighter prospects for enhancing bilateral investment and collaboration. On his part, the PM praised the UAE’s visionary leadership and its role as a key partner in Pakistan’s development and investment. He underscored his country’s readiness to further expand cooperation between the brotherly nations, primarily in renewable energy, technology, trade, infrastructure, and skill development, among other sectors.
In their meeting, the top UAE and Pakistani leaders shared their commitment to further deepening economic, political and cultural ties while exchanging views on a wide range of issues, including economic collaboration, climate change and the promotion of mutual interests on the global stage. On the whole, the UAE President’s visit is poised to serve as a welcome turning point in the bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries. Despite being somewhat brief, the visit was a memorable step toward further strengthening bilateral relations, boosting trade and driving investment to revitalize Pakistan’s economy in an appreciably positive manner. The UAE, already a key investor in Pakistan, saw its President making a most welcome commitment to a massive investment of US $10 billion in various sectors, thus greatly contributing to the steadying and stabilizing of Pakistan’s economy.
The UAE President’s visit was being viewed by the business community here as offering an extraordinary opportunity for further enhancing the economic collaboration between the two countries and frequent contact between UAE and Pakistan’s top leaders can quite expectedly catalyze transformative developments in energy, technology and agriculture sectors. Upcoming UAE huge investment can also help Pakistan’s energy sector by way of investing in the solar, wind-power and hydro-power projects. The UAE investors should also be offered the vast investment available in the fast developing Special Economic Zones in different parts of the country. Pakistanis are working in varying numbers in many countries around the globe and not only making positive contributions in different sectors of the host countries but also greatly boosting their own motherland’s economy by sending huge home remittances to their families through proper channels and thus enhancing the precious foreign exchange reserves regularly.
The UAE itself was home to more than 1.6 million Pakistanis and they can actively play a bridge between the two countries. The visit of the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al-Nahyan not only help in strengthening the existing bilateral relations between the two countries but also enhance cultural understanding and fostering mutual goodwill and people to people mutual contacts.
—The writer is Lahore-based Freelance Journalist, Columnist and retired Deputy Controller (News), Radio Pakistan, Islamabad.
(zahidriffat @gmail.com)
