Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan reaffirmed the close fraternal relations between the two countries and discussed ways to further cement and diversify bilateral ties during a telephonic conversation on Monday.

A statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said Imran Khan conveyed his appreciation for UAE’s cooperation and steadfast support including at multilateral fora.

He underscored the importance of responsible withdrawal of foreign troops and steady progress by the Afghan parties towards a political solution, it added.

The statement further said that both leaders welcomed efforts to enhance collaboration in Covid-19 vaccine production and in the field of Information Technology.

It was agreed to continue with the momentum of high-level exchanges to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries, Tribune reported.

The UAE’s role in seeking rapprochement between Pakistan and India has remained the subject of discussions in the recent past.

Several reports suggested that the UAE was mediating between the two countries. There were even reports that senior intelligence officials of Pakistan and India had met in Dubai in January leading to the ceasefire between the two countries along the Line of Control (LoC).

The UAE Ambassador to Washington also confirmed that his country was facilitating dialogue between the two countries. The envoy said the idea behind the UAE’s effort was to ensure that Pakistan and India have a functional relationship.

(SAM)