Pakistan pays Tributes to Sh Zayed; PM Meets Sheikh Khalifa
By Waris Nizami - Pakistan Times Foreign Correspondent

ABU DHABI (United Arab Emirates): Pakistan's Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan was a great leader, a true Muslim and a real friend of Pakistan and his death is a great loss of the Muslim world.

Expressing his condolence with President of UAE Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi on Friday, the Prime Minister said Pakistan and the people of Pakistan have lost a great friend who had rendered great service for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan. He said every Pakistani has tears in his eyes and is praying for eternal peace for the departed soul.

The Prime Minister said late Sheikh Zayed believed in the unity of Muslim Ummah and had always worked for the progress and prosperity of the Muslim world.

Details

The Prime Minister who arrived at Abu Dhabi on Friday evening along with Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Ehsan ul Haq, Chief Minister of Punjab Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, Minister of Interior Aftab Sherpao, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Khusro Bakhtiar and Former President and MNA Farooq Leghari was received at Abu Dhabi airport by Musallam Al-Qauibisi Chief of Planning U.A.E.

He went straight to the residence of Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak, Minister of Education and joined a condolence meeting with a number of dignitaries from various parts of UAE and Arab countries.

Meets New President of UAE

The Prime Minister later went to see the new President of UAE, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and offered condolence on behalf of Government and people of Pakistan and on his own behalf over the sad demise of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan.

President of UAE thanked the Prime Minister for his visit and said that late Sheikh Zayed had great love for Pakistan and a lot of affection for people of Pakistan. He said Pak-UAE relations will grow further. He said UAE values great deal of its relations with Pakistan.

The Prime Minister said the brotherly relations between Pakistan and UAE have a strong base and he wished the new President of UAE success.

Other Dignitaries

During the visit Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz also met US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, President of Bangladesh Ayazuddin, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Muhammad Bin Zayed, Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Makhtoom bin Rashid, Crown Prince of Dubai Sheikh Muhammad Bin Rashid Al-Maktoom, Finance Minister of UAE Sheikh Hamadan Bin Rashad and Secretary General Arab League Amar Musa.

The Prime Minister along with his delegation also visited the mazar of late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan and offered fateha. Later, the Prime Minister returned to Islamabad.●