By Saad Umer
ISLAMABAD:Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday landed in Dubai for a two-day visit during which he will hold discussions with the UAE leadership on all areas of mutual interest.
According to Radio Pakistan, Qureshi was received by the Consul-General of Pakistan in Dubai Amjad Ali and other officials of the Pakistani embassy and the UAE foreign ministry at the Dubai International Airport.
The foreign minister was then hosted by UAE Vice President and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum. The two held “bilateral talks on developing and strengthening relations between [the] two friendly countries”, according to a tweet by the UAE Embassy in Pakistan.
In a tweet later in the day, the foreign minister said “issues of mutual interest and ways to further strengthen bilateral ties, including encouragement of UAE business community to invest in Pakistan and the welfare of our diaspora in UAE” were discussed during the meeting.
He added that the Pakistan Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai will be a “memento of Pakistan-UAE friendship”.
A handout from the Foreign Office said that the minister, during his visit, will exchange views with the UAE leadership on bilateral cooperation, in particular trade, investment, and welfare of Pakistani diaspora.
The foreign minister will also meet members of the Pakistani community and interact with local and international media. The UAE is home to the second-largest Pakistani community abroad.
The foreign minister’s visit comes weeks after the UAE temporarily suspended the issuance of visit visas to a dozen countries, including Pakistan, until further notice. Officially, Pakistan believes that the UAE authorities took the decision due to the second wave of Covid-19.
Sources said that during his visit, Foreign Minister Qureshi is expected to take up the issue of suspension of visas with the UAE authorities.
Qureshi previously visited the country in January to attend the 9th Sir Bani Yas Forum which discussed issues related to the Middle East.
