Pakistan-UAE ties unaffected by external engagements, says FO

The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday said Pakistan’s relations with the United Arab Emirates remained unaffected by any external engagements the Gulf state may have, expressing confidence in the strength of bilateral ties. It said the relationship was based on mutual trust, adding that this sentiment was also shared in Abu Dhabi. “Pakistan – UAE relations are strong, brotherly, built on strong foundation. We have 2.2 million-strong diaspora in the UAE. We have traditionally been friendly and cooperative in all affairs. We have a trade close to $8 billion, said FO Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi during the weekly press briefing. He further said that there is “absolutely no question” of any negative aspersions with respect to relations between Islamabad and Abu Dhabi. Earlier in the day, Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said that Pakistan’s relationship with the United Arab Emirates was “absolutely fine”. Several media outlets in recent days have reported that the Gulf country had begun a “large-scale expulsion” of Pakistani workers, particularly Shia workers, signalling a shift in Pakistan-UAE ties. The Interior Ministry has denied the claims. Referring to India, Andrabi said that calls in India for dialogue with Pakistan were a positive development and expressed hope that “warmongering” and “belligerence” being witnessed in the neighbouring country for a long time would “fade away”. The journalist who asked the question mentioned various statements, including a recent one by former Indian army chief Gen (retired) Manoj Naravane, who supported the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) secretary general’s remarks calling for keeping the window for dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi open. In response to the question, Andrabi said: “The voices within India calling for dialogue are obviously a positive development; we hope that sanity will prevail in India, and warmongering, the belligerence that has been emanating for the past several months and even beyond, f