$3 billion financial assistance sealed as Abu Dhabi

Crown Prince meets PM Khan in Islamabad

APP | Dawn.com | Sanaullah KhanUpdated January 06, 2019
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Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan paid a quick
visit to Islamabad on Sunday ─ his first in nearly 12 years ─ and met the prime minister and
other top officials as both countries seek to capitalise on the fresh momentum in ties due to a
flurry of recent contacts at the leadership level.

Pakistani and United Arab Emirates leadership have met thrice now in three months. Prime Minister
Imran Khan visited the UAE twice after assuming office in August to seek economic assistance.
Both countries last week finalised the terms and conditions of a $6.2 billion support package for
Islamabad to help address its balance-of-payments crisis.

A joint statement issued after the UAE royal's visit said Prime Minister Khan thanked the crown
prince for the "generous" balance-of-payments support of $3 billion, which appears to have
materialised first out of the total financial package.

Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed receives a guard of honour at a welcome ceremony at PM House.
Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, who last visited Pakistan in 2007, was given a red
carpet welcome and a 21-gun salute when he touched down at Nur Khan airbase around noon today
amid much fanfare in the capital.

Billboards displaying the crown prince's face and positive messages about Pak-UAE ties were put up
across the city to welcome the visiting dignitary. A troupe of folk musicians and cultural dancers
also put on a small show to receive him.

Prime Minister Imran Khan hugged the crown prince as he stepped off the plane and then, setting
aside protocol, drove him personally to PM House where a welcome ceremony was held in his
honour.

At PM House, a guard of honour was presented by a contingent of the armed forces to the visiting
dignitary, who reviewed the parade. The national anthems of both countries were played, and Sheikh
Mohammed bin Zayed was given a fly-past by an impressive formation of JF-17 fighter jets.

The crown prince also met members of the premier's cabinet at the ceremony, including Foreign
Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Information Minister Fawad
Chaudhry, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Power Minister
Omar Ayub Khan, Planning and Development Minister Khusro Bakhtiar, Minister of State for
Interior Shahryar Afridi, and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfi
Bukhari.

Bilateral talks
Soon after his arrival, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed held a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister
Khan.

Following that, the visitors held delegation-level talks with the Pakistan side. Premier Khan led the
Pakistani delegation comprising Qureshi, Umar, Chaudhry, Afridi and Foreign Secretary Tehmina
Janjua, while Sheikh Mohammed led the UAE side.
According to the joint statement, the two leaders held wide-ranging talks that focussed on all areas
of bilateral relations.

"Taking note of the positive trajectory of relations, the two leaders expressed their determination to
further strengthen this historic and mutually beneficial relationship," the statement said.

While thanking the crown prince for the $3 billion financial support, the prime minister said it was
reflective of the UAE's "continued commitment and friendship that has remained steadfast over the
years". He also welcomed the Emirates' interest in investing in various sectors in Pakistan including
oil and gas, logistics, ports and construction.

Prime Minister Imran Khan drives the crown prince of Abu Dhabi to PM House in Islamabad. ─
Photo courtesy Government of Pakistan Twitter
The two sides also discussed issues of regional and global importance, with Khan briefing the crown
prince on the situation in Indian occupied Kashmir and the plight of the Kashmiri people.

The two leaders decided to form a task force for taking all necessary measures to deal with matters
relating to trade enhancement.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Khan and Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed noted that the
Pakistan-UAE Joint Ministerial Commission, to be co-chaired by the two countries' foreign ministers
in Abu Dhabi next month, could "play a pivotal role in chalking out a comprehensive roadmap, and
in fast-tracking the approval of pending agreements and memorandum of understandings (MoUs)".
The two leaders expressed their satisfaction with the ongoing defence and security cooperation
between the two countries and resolved to explore further collaboration in the areas of training, joint
exercises and defence production.

The crown prince in his comments recognised the "efforts and unparalleled sacrifices" made by
Pakistan to eliminate terrorism and extremism.

Khan thanked the UAE leadership and people for their commitment to the socioeconomic
development of Pakistan in the form of the 'Pakistan Assistance Programme', as well as for Sheikh
Mohammed's support to eradicate polio from Pakistan.

In order to counter white collar crimes including money laundering, the two leaders directed the
relevant authorities to expedite the finalisation of the Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement.

Prime Minister Khan briefed the UAE royal about Pakistan's efforts to support and facilitate the
Afghan reconciliation process. The two leaders agreed to work closely for lasting peace and stability
in Afghanistan.

"The visit underscored the strength and substance of the Pakistan-UAE special relationship, which is
based on the spirit of mutual affection and deep trust," the joint statement said, adding that building
on this legacy, the two leaders resolved to work for the progress and stability of both Pakistan and
the UAE.

The crown prince thanked the premier for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to him and
his delegation during the visit to Islamabad.

He left for the UAE at around 3pm after the whirlwind back-to-back meetings. Before his departure,
the foreign dignitary was presented a photo album depicting his engagements during the brief visit.

What the support package means

The new support package from the UAE is the same size and has the same terms and conditions as
those given by Saudi Arabia, according to a cabinet member who earlier spoke to Dawn regarding
the development.
Islamabad has been decked out with billboards and panaflexes welcoming the visiting crown prince.
— DawnNewsTV
With the new package, Pakistan will save a total of about $7.9bn on oil and gas imports from the two
friendly countries, accounting for over 60pc of the annual oil import bill amounting to roughly $12-
13bn.

This includes about $3.2bn each of oil supplies on deferred payments from the UAE and Saudi
Arabia and about $1.5bn trade finance from the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation
(ITFC).

The total financing support from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, including the ITFC’s trade finance, is
to be around $13.9-14bn when cash deposits of $3bn each from the two countries are also included,
according to the cabinet member.

Additionally, a deep-conversion oil refinery is to be set up by Parco — a joint venture of Pakistan

and Abu Dhabi — worth $5-6bn at Khalifa Point and an expected petro-chemical complex by Saudi
Arabia at Gwadar Oil City.