06-11-2006, 06:03 AM
UAE's Vice President arrives Pakistan on day-long Visit
'Pakistan Times' Special Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum was accorded a warm welcome when here arrived Tuesday on a day-long visit to Pakistan.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz received the distinguished guest at the PAF base Chaklala who is visiting Pakistan for the first time since assuming his office in January this year.
The UAE Vice President was presented 19-gun salute. Two children attired in traditional dresses presented bouquet to him.
A smartly turned-out contingent of the Pakistan Air Force, presented him the guard of honour.
The airport was tastefully decorated with flags of the two countries and welcoming banners.
A group of dancers moved to the tune of traditional folk songs as the distinguished guest passed by them.
The UAE Vice President will call on President General Pervez Musharraf and will hold formal talks with Prime Minister Aziz in the evening
Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum is visiting Pakistan at the invitation of Prime Minister Aziz.
He last visited Pakistan in 2002 for a private hunting trip.
Pakistan and UAE have enjoyed close and cordial relations since the early 70s following it emergence as an independent federal state and high-level contacts have remained a hallmark of their special relations.
The last such visit from the UAE was that of the President of UAE, Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan in December 2005.
President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz have visited the UAE on several occasions.
The UAE has become the largest investor in Pakistan after making a successful bid for the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL).
Other UAE investments in Pakistan are in the fields of airlines, financial business, real estate and tractors.
Trade between the two countries totalled $ 2.78 billion last year, with the balance in favour of the UAE due to Pakistan's import of oil and oil products.
For the strengthening of bilateral economic relations, the Pakistan-UAE Joint Ministerial Commission was set up in 1974, which has so far held eight consultative meetings. The 9th JMC session is expected to be held in Islamabad during 2006.
Over the years, the UAE has extended generous donations for various welfare projects in Pakistan.
Following the October 2005 earthquake, the UAE contributed $ 100 million towards the President's Earthquake Relief Fund.
In addition, nearly 3,000 tons of relief supplies were air-lifted to Pakistan for the earthquake victims and a mobile field hospital was set up in Muzaffarabad.
About 400,000 Pakistanis are working in the UAE who are a source of strength for the Pakistan-UAE relations. Last year, the Pakistani expatriates had remitted well over half a billion dollars to Pakistan.
The visit of the Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and the Ruler of Dubai to Pakistan would further consolidate the bonds of friendship between the two countries, which Pakistan greatly values.â
'Pakistan Times' Special Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum was accorded a warm welcome when here arrived Tuesday on a day-long visit to Pakistan.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz received the distinguished guest at the PAF base Chaklala who is visiting Pakistan for the first time since assuming his office in January this year.
The UAE Vice President was presented 19-gun salute. Two children attired in traditional dresses presented bouquet to him.
A smartly turned-out contingent of the Pakistan Air Force, presented him the guard of honour.
The airport was tastefully decorated with flags of the two countries and welcoming banners.
A group of dancers moved to the tune of traditional folk songs as the distinguished guest passed by them.
The UAE Vice President will call on President General Pervez Musharraf and will hold formal talks with Prime Minister Aziz in the evening
Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum is visiting Pakistan at the invitation of Prime Minister Aziz.
He last visited Pakistan in 2002 for a private hunting trip.
Pakistan and UAE have enjoyed close and cordial relations since the early 70s following it emergence as an independent federal state and high-level contacts have remained a hallmark of their special relations.
The last such visit from the UAE was that of the President of UAE, Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan in December 2005.
President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz have visited the UAE on several occasions.
The UAE has become the largest investor in Pakistan after making a successful bid for the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL).
Other UAE investments in Pakistan are in the fields of airlines, financial business, real estate and tractors.
Trade between the two countries totalled $ 2.78 billion last year, with the balance in favour of the UAE due to Pakistan's import of oil and oil products.
For the strengthening of bilateral economic relations, the Pakistan-UAE Joint Ministerial Commission was set up in 1974, which has so far held eight consultative meetings. The 9th JMC session is expected to be held in Islamabad during 2006.
Over the years, the UAE has extended generous donations for various welfare projects in Pakistan.
Following the October 2005 earthquake, the UAE contributed $ 100 million towards the President's Earthquake Relief Fund.
In addition, nearly 3,000 tons of relief supplies were air-lifted to Pakistan for the earthquake victims and a mobile field hospital was set up in Muzaffarabad.
About 400,000 Pakistanis are working in the UAE who are a source of strength for the Pakistan-UAE relations. Last year, the Pakistani expatriates had remitted well over half a billion dollars to Pakistan.
The visit of the Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and the Ruler of Dubai to Pakistan would further consolidate the bonds of friendship between the two countries, which Pakistan greatly values.â