ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday extended “heartfelt felicitations” to the leadership and people of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the country’s 54th National Day, praising the historic and enduring partnership between the two nations.
Pakistan was the first country to recognize the UAE in 1971. The two nations maintain strong defense, trade, cultural, and people-to-people ties, and regularly participate in joint military exercises to enhance operational coordination and strategic cooperation.
In a statement issued through the Press Information Department, the prime minister said Pakistan’s relationship with the UAE rests on a “strong foundation of shared religious and cultural values and unwavering mutual trust.”
He noted that the bond, first shaped by the UAE’s founding president Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan, had “continued to flourish under the wise leadership of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.”
PM Sharif said Pakistan and the UAE “remain resolute in striving for achieving the common goals of peace and stability, development and prosperity, especially in the region and worldwide.”
He added that expanding cooperation in economic, trade, investment, and defense sectors would “pave the way for the people of both countries,” describing the warmth between their communities as proof of the “mutual affection that exists on both sides.”
The prime minister also emphasized Pakistan’s appreciation for UAE leadership, saying the Pakistani community in the Emirates “continues to contribute positively to our mutual friendship.”
In a separate message reported by the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), President Zardari extended his “warmest congratulations” to the UAE leadership and citizens, reaffirming that Pakistan “greatly valued its historic and fraternal relationship” with the Gulf nation.
He said the two countries’ ties were “anchored in common faith, mutual trust, generational rapport, and shared aspirations for peace and prosperity.”
President Zardari expressed confidence that growing cooperation in “trade, investment, security, and defense” would keep advancing shared objectives.
He added that the Pakistani diaspora in the UAE “serves as a vital bridge between our nations and remains a source of strength in our bilateral relations.”
“Pakistan looks forward to further deepening this partnership and conveys its best wishes to the United Arab Emirates for continued peace, progress, and prosperity,” he said.
.jpg)
