ISLAMABAD: His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, met with Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad on Thursday.
His Highness the Crown Prince was accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising cabinet members and senior officials, an official statement said.
In a special gesture, the Crown Prince was received by Prime Minister Imran Khan at the Nur Khan Airbase. Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed had earlier visited Pakistan in January 2019.
Prime Minister Imran Khan and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed held wide-ranging talks focusing on bilateral, regional and international issues. The discussions continued over the luncheon, hosted by the Prime Minister in honour of the Crown Prince and his accompanying entourage.
The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction at the frequent exchange of high-level visits between Pakistan and the UAE and the steady development of cordial ties between the two fraternal countries.
Underlining the strategic importance of the Pakistan-UAE special relationship, the Prime Minister stressed the imperative of deeper economic engagement.
The Prime Minister highlighted the economic turn-around in Pakistan and the growing opportunities for foreign investment as well as fruitful trade and commercial engagement with key partner countries.
Welcoming the UAE’s interest in investing in myriad sectors in Pakistan, the Prime Minister assured maximum facilitation for UAE investments. Among others, the possibilities in the energy and tourism sectors were highlighted. Closer collaboration in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector was also underlined.
The Prime Minister highlighted the positive contributions of more than 1.6 million expatriate Pakistani community, which considers UAE as their second home. Prime Minister Imran Khan also thanked the UAE leadership and its people for their commitment to Pakistan’s socio-economic development, focused in particular on health, education and youth.
The Prime Minister apprised Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed of India’s inhuman lockdown in the Indian Occupied J&K, continuing for over 150 days. He also highlighted India’s discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and their negative consequences.
The Prime Minister underscored the need for the world community to take urgent steps to address India’s state oppression in IOJ&K, immediate removal of the continuing lockdown and other restrictions, avoidance of escalation of tensions on the LoC, and peaceful resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions. The OIC’s role in the advancement of the Islamic Ummah’s causes was discussed.
The Prime Minister also apprised the Crown Prince of Pakistan’s efforts and positive contribution to the Afghan peace and reconciliation process. The Prime Minister underlined that a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan was in the interest of Pakistan and the region.
The Crown Prince underlined the strategic importance of UAE-Pakistan relations and extended cordial greetings for the brotherly people of Pakistan and good wishes for their accelerated development in the year 2020 and beyond. He also underlined UAE’s support for peace and stability in South Asia and peaceful resolution of issues. The Crown
Prince also appreciated Pakistan’s important role in the OIC.
The visit of His Highness the Crown Prince was the first by a foreign dignitary to Pakistan in 2020, and reflective of the special relations between Pakistan and UAE, which continue to grow deeper with the passage of time. The two leaders reaffirmed their resolve to take these
relations to a new level.
Meanwhile, addressing a ceremony in Islamabad on Thursday, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that amendments in the NAB ordinance was a difficult decision for the government as the media and opposition parties were also criticizing amendments.
He said that the anti-graft watchdog’s fear curtailed the role of bureaucracy in development projects, adding that the main purpose of NAB ordinance was to insulate bureaucracy from NAB’s fear.
The prime minister said decisions in democracy are made with mutual consultation therefore; the change in NAB’s rules will be presented in the Parliament.
Imran Khan also stressed on improving governance for economic stabilization in the country, adding that the economy of the country can only be strengthened with the industrial growth.
PM Imran said that the government has stabilized the country’s economy and now efforts are being made to accelerate economic growth.
He said the 2020 will be the year of growth and development and the development is not possible without wealth creation. He said over 40 industries are related with housing sector and promotion of this sector will helpful in creating job opportunities.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan has summoned a session of the parliamentary party on Friday (today) in order to finalise strategy for the approval of the Army Act amendment bill from the Parliament.
The upcoming session of the parliamentary party will be chaired by PM Imran Khan today at 10:00 am. Sources said that the participants of the session will finalise strategy for the approval of the amended law for giving an extension of the services of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
The premier will also attend the session of the National Assembly tomorrow, sources added.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Imran Khan summoned a meeting of spokespersons of the government and his political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The upcoming meeting of the spokespersons will be held at Prime Minister House in order to review the current political and economic situation of the country.
PM Imran Khan will also inform the new targets and priorities set by the federal government for 2020.
A detailed discussion will be held on the decisions taken by the federal government for price control. The spokespersons will also be informed by the government’s stance on the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Amendment Ordinance, sources added.
A briefing will be given on the draft bill for making amendment in Army Act that had been approved by the federal cabinet yesterday, whereas, the premier will apprise the government’s rhetoric in the meeting, sources said.
It is pertinent to mention here that the federal cabinet members had approved the amendment in Army Act which defines tenure of the army chief’s services and procedure for the extension of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
The emergency session of the federal cabinet held under the chair of Prime Minister Imran Khan has concluded after approving a draft bill for making amendment in the Army Act over the directives of the Supreme Court (SC).
Sources said the latest legislation has been approved to define the process of extension for COAS and the service period of an army chief. The Army Act’s amendment will also be applied on the Chairman of Joint Chiefs and Services Chief, sources added. It emerged earlier that the amended law will be tabled in the upcoming session of the National Assembly for its final approval.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the state-of-the-art Allama Iqbal industrial city under the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) on Friday.
Talking to media in Faisalabad on Thursday, FIEDMC Chairman Mian Kashif Ashfaq said Allama Iqbal Industrial City has been planned over an area of four thousand acres, which was strategically located on Motorway M-4 near Sahianwala Interchange, Faisalabad. Appreciating the economic policies of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) Chairman Mian Kashif Ashfaq on Thursday said the incumbent government focused on economic growth in the country,” says a press release issued here Thursday. – NNI