Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday said that Pakistan attached great value to its fraternal ties with Bahrain which were based on shared religion, culture and history.
He also highlighted the need to translate the bilateral relations between Pakistan and Bahrain into a mutually rewarding economic partnership.
The president expressed these views while talking to Commander of the National Guard of Bahrain, General Sheikh Mohammad bin Isa bin Salman Al-Khalifa, who called on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release. Ambassador of Bahrain to Pakistan Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Abdul Qader was also present during the meeting. Welcoming the visiting commander, the president said that Pakistan and Bahrain enjoyed excellent relations, which needed to be further strengthened in the areas of mutual interest.
He said that it was his firm belief that Pakistan would grow stronger as it had immense potential to become a prosperous country. During the meeting, the commander of the National Guard of Bahrain felicitated the president on assuming the office for the second time and expressed the hope that Pakistan would move forward under his leadership. He said that both countries enjoyed excellent defence cooperation and expressed his gratitude for the supportive role of the Armed Forces of Pakistan.
He also reiterated Bahrain’s continued support to Pakistan. General Sheikh Mohammad bin Isa bin Salman Al-Khalifa extended an invitation to the president to visit Bahrain. President Zardari thanked the commander National Guard of Bahrain for his visit and felicitations.
Earlier, March 18 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday emphasised the need for further boosting of bilateral ties between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the areas of trade, economy, aviation, renewable energy, climate change and human resource development for the mutual benefit of the two brotherly countries.
The president expressed these views while talking to Ambassador of UAE to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi, who called on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release.
Talking to the ambassador, the president urged the need to increase collaboration in the aviation industry to facilitate the Pakistani diaspora in the UAE, including the initiation of commercial flights of Airbus A380s. He said that Emirati businesses should be encouraged to invest in the Pakistan Stock Exchange to infuse innovative ideas and more capital in the Pakistan’s economy.
Talking about Sindh, the president apprised that Pakistan had started investing in mangrove forests and was trading carbon credits in the international market. He suggested that Pakistan and the UAE should mutually benefit from this opportunity. He said that projects had been undertaken for the lining of canals to overcome seepage and boost agricultural production.
He maintained that Pakistan and the UAE needed to collaborate in the agricultural sector by sharing new technologies as food security was a growing concern for the region due to climate change.
During the meeting, the ambassador highlighted that the UAE was committed to Pakistan’s development and would continue to stand with Pakistan. He stressed upon the need to transform the existing bilateral relationship into a strategic partnership between Pakistan and the UAE. He also called for focusing on economic diplomacy, adding that big companies from the UAE were keen to invest in aviation, agriculture, renewable energy (solar), education and healthcare in Pakistan. He informed that the UAE had recently hosted COP-28 and pledged $100 million for the “loss & damage” fund to help vulnerable countries deal with the adverse effects of climate change.
