Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, Pakistan PM witness signing of cooperation agreements

His Highness Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has held official discussions with Shahbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, at the PM's Office in Islamabad on Thursday.

Upon arrival, an official reception ceremony was held, during which Shahbaz Sharif escorted Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed to the ceremonial platform, where the national anthems of the UAE and Pakistan were played. Sheikh Khaled and Shahbaz Sharif reviewed the guard of honour lined up to greet them.

At the beginning of the meeting, Shahbaz Sharif welcomed Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed, highlighting the deep fraternal ties between the UAE and Pakistan.

Sheikh Khaled and Shahbaz Sharif during the guard of honour ceremony at PM House.

Discussions centred on the enduring bilateral relations between the two countries and emphasised the commitment of both nations and their leadership to explore avenues to further enhance bilateral relations and advance strategic partnerships across key economic and developmental sectors.

During the meeting, Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed underscored the importance of deepening UAE-Pakistan partnerships and capitalising on the substantial milestones achieved. He highlighted that the leadership of both nations share a unified vision, recognising economic and developmental collaboration as a cornerstone for driving sustainable growth.

Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed reaffirmed that the UAE-Pakistan strategic partnership stands as a distinguished model of impactful collaboration, driving progress across railway network expansion, natural resource exploration and financial sector investments. He highlighted that these efforts serve as powerful enablers of sustainable economic growth and strengthening trade and investment exchanges between the two nations.

Sheikh Khaled being received by Shahbaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabd.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Sheikh Khaled and Shahbaz Sharif witnessed the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), cooperation agreements and strategic partnerships across various sectors.

Etihad Rail and Pakistan's Ministry of Railways signed MoUs, with the aim of enhancing the operational efficiency of Pakistan's existing railway network, in addition to establishing a new railway network. This cooperation aims to strengthen connectivity across Pakistan, facilitate mobility and support the country's economic growth.

Also, an agreement in the mining sector was signed between International Resources Holding (IRH), a subsidiary of 2PointZero which is part of International Holding Company (IHC), specialising in natural resource extraction, and Mari Energies, to establish a joint exploration project for copper and gold in the Chagai district of Balochistan.

Asif Ali Zardari greets Sheikh Khaled at the Nur Khan Airbase in Islamabad.

A commitment agreement was also signed between Eve Holding RCS, a subsidiary of 2PointZero, and First Women Bank Limited (FWBL), under which Eve Holding RCS will acquire 82.64 per cent of the bank's shares. FWBL operates 42 branches across Pakistan and this acquisition is part of the privatisation programme launched by the Pakistani government across multiple sectors.    

Finally, an MoU was signed between AD Ports Group and the Pakistan Board of Investment to explore developing a Special Economic Zone near Karachi Port and Port Qasim to facilitate trade and economic activity in the region.

The meeting was attended by  Sheikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of 2PointZero, a subsidiary of the International Holding Company (IHC); Sheikh Khalifa Bin Tahnoon Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court; Ali Mohammed Hammad Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for National Security; Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Minister of Investment; Saif Saeed Ghobash, Secretary-General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council; Maryam Eid Al Mheiri, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Media Office; Ghanem Al Suwaidi, Director-General of Security Affairs at the Supreme Council for National Security; Hamad Obaid Alzaabi, Ambassador of the UAE to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; Shadi Malak, CEO of Etihad Rail; Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group; Syed Basar Shueb, CEO and Managing Director of International Holding Company (IHC); and Ali Rashed Al Rashdi, CEO of International Resources Holding (IRH).

WAM