FM Qureshi congratulates UAE on Mars mission

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has congratulated the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the successful launch of the first Arab interplanetary mission.

During a telephonic conversation with his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the foreign minister said the Mars Mission (named Al-Amal or Hope Probe) is a pride for all Muslims and a great contribution to human knowledge.

The foreign minister thanked Sheikh Abdullah for enquiring about his health, his prayers and best wishes, and also apprised his UAE counterpart about the latest situation of the outbreak in Pakistan.

FM Qureshi said due to the steps being taken by the government and especially after smart lockdown in various cities, Pakistan is witnessing a downturn in the COVID-19 pandemic and recovered cases has been outnumbering new cases.

The UAE foreign minister appreciated the response of the Pakistan government in tackling the pandemic. He highlighted the efforts of the UAE government in controlling the pandemic.

He shared that the UAE is engaged with efforts for working on developing vaccine for the virus in collaboration with international partners. The two ministers agreed to meet as soon as the pandemic is over.

The UAE successfully launched its Mars-bound Hope Probe on Sunday, marking the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission and the first of three international missions to the Red Planet this summer.

The Hope Probe took off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan, after a delay last week due to bad weather. The solid rocket booster successfully separated from the launch vehicle, and the probe has established two-way communication with the ground segment in Dubai. The probe is expected to reach Mars by February 2021.