Pakistan President Zardari rushes to UAE amid uncertainty over Islamabad airport deal with Abu Dhabi
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Pakistan President Zardari rushes to UAE amid uncertainty over Islamabad airport deal with Abu Dhabi")
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari in UAE Photograph: (Pakistan Embassy/X)
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari arrived in the UAE for a four-day visit aimed at boosting long-term investment ties. The trip comes amid reports that Abu Dhabi has stepped back from talks to operate Islamabad airport, even as India-UAE relations continue to deepen.
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday night (Jan 26) arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a four-day official visit. Zardari was received by UAE Justice Minister Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi. His visit comes amid reports surfacing that UAE stepped away from talks to operate Islamabad International Airport. Upon arrival, Zardari held a meeting with the UAE justice minister at the presidential flight terminal at the airport. Reports suggest that the visit focuses on securing long-term investment partnerships rather than just traditional financial aid.
“During the visit, the president will hold high-level meetings with the UAE’s leadership to review the full spectrum of bilateral ties, especially on the domains of trade and economic people-to-people ties. The discussion will also focus on regional and international issues of mutual interest,” the Foreign Ministry statement added.
It highlighted that Zardari’s trip, which follows the brief visit of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Pakistan last month, “reflects the deep brotherly ties between the two nations and reaffirms commitment to transforming the strong friendship between Pakistan and the UAE into a mutually rewarding partnership”.
During the UAE president’s first official visit to Pakistan on December 26, the leadership of the two countries had held “substantive talks” focused on further strengthening the longstanding bilateral relations.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Al Nahyan also met in Rahim Yar Khan on December 30, where they both discussed ways to enhance cooperation in a wide range of sectors.
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On January 13, the two countries agreed to sign a formal agreement on “pre-immigration clearance” for Pakistani nationals visiting the Gulf country.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has suffered a setback after the UAE reportedly stepped away from talks to operate Islamabad International Airport, discussions that had been ongoing since August 2025. According to Pakistan’s The Express Tribune, sources said that the proposal stalled because the UAE was unable to secure a suitable local partner to manage airport operations, despite early enthusiasm for the project. While the report stopped short of assigning political motives, the timing aligns with a period of visible strain between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh.
Also Read: India's air superiority during Operation Sindoor forced Pakistan for ceasefire: Swiss think tank
India-UAE relations
Meanwhile, India-UAE relations continue to gain momentum. At the invitation of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, paid an official visit to India on January 19, 2026. Following his visit, the UAE president approved the release of 900 Indian prisoners, a move widely interpreted as a goodwill gesture. The joint statement issued after the talks underscored the breadth of cooperation between the two countries and outlined a long-term vision for strategic and economic alignment.
