UAE Pakistan’s largest trading partner in ME: Fawad

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Wednesday said that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was Pakistan's largest trading partner in the Middle East (ME).He said this while talking to UAE Ambassador Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Al Zaabi who called on him here. The minister said that 1.6 million Pakistanis lived in the UAE which was second largest population of Pakistanis overseas.

He congratulated the UAE for its plan of organising mega event 'Expo 2021 Dubai' after outbreak of coronavirus. The minister said that the Expo 2021 would have a unique Pakistani pavilion. The Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Information were making preparations to participate in the expo, he added.

Talking about the situation in the region, Fawad said that peace and stability in Afghanistan was in the interest of the region. He said that Pakistan had made sincere efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan. "Our role in the evacuation of foreign nationals from Kabul has been appreciated by the whole world," he said.

Speaking on the occasion, the UAE ambassador said that the UAE and Pakistan were committed to strengthening and diversifying relations in all fields. He said that Pakistan had played a valuable role in stabilising the region, especially Afghanistan, which was commendable.

During the meeting, they discussed other issues of mutual interest, including bilateral relations, promotion of cooperation in various fields, and the situation in Afghanistan and the region.