DUBAI: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has arrived in Abu Dhabi on Monday during his official three-day visit where he is expected to meet his UAE counterpart.
In Abu Dhabi, the Foreign Minister will meet his counterpart Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other UAE dignitaries. The talks will focus on promoting bilateral cooperation especially enhancing the volume of trade between the two countries. Matters of regional situation and international affairs will also come under discussion.
The foreign minister held a busy day on Sunday visited Pakistan pavilion at World Expo 2020 to be held in the UAE from October 1. On the occasion, Pakistan ambassador to UAE Afzal Mahmood, Pakistan Consul General Dubai Consulate Ahmad Amjad Ali and other senior officials of the embassy also accompanied the foreign minister.
The foreign minister, during his visit to the expo, said presence of Pakistan pavilion in the international expo was a manifestation of decades old friendship between the two countries. It also showed the enhanced economic ties and bilateral cooperation between the two brotherly countries in different sectors, he said.
Qureshi expressed his pleasure over the role played by huge number of Pakistani diaspora in the progress and development of UAE. He also interacted with Pakistani expatriates in Dubai who he said continue to play an important role in the progress and prosperity of the UAE and Pakistan. He said the Pakistani diaspora stepped up to assist the community at large during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Foreign Minister Mehmood Qureshi said his visit to United Arab Emirates would strengthen existing bilateral ties of both the countries.
He said a mega event would be organised by Pakistan in Sharjah in October this year to showcase the hidden treasures of Pakistan where professionals among the Pakistani community would be invited.
The event would highlight the role played by the Pakistani community in the progress and prosperity of UAE, he said adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan will be invited to the mega event.
Qureshi said Pakistan and the UAE would complete their 50 years long friendship. Both the countries were making an effort to organise different programmes on the occasion. He said the government wanted to give the right to vote to the overseas Pakistanis and it was consulting with other political parties on the issue.
The foreign minister said both India and Pakistan would have to think about their bilateral ties. He stressed that Pakistan never evaded talks and wanted to live in peace with all its neighbours including India. The foreign minister said Pakistan was ready to talk with India if it took back its steps of August 5, adding that Pakistan could not ignore the Kashmir issue.
Qureshi said he had telephonic contact with the Afghan Foreign Minister, adding the Afghan peace process had entered an important stage. He said a number of countries were making efforts for securing peace in Afghanistan and Turkey will also hold a conference in this regard.
