A flurry of engagements suggests Pakistan could attempt to ease tensions between the two main Gulf allies
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during the latter’s visit to Pakistan last week. Photo:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Rahim Yar Khan on Tuesday and held a meeting with the UAE president at Sheikh Zayed Palace, in a development that appears to be linked to ongoing tensions between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi over Yemen.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan already held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister last Friday in Islamabad during his first official visit to Pakistan as President. A statement released by the prime minister’s office did not explain the reason for a second meeting a few days later, but observers believe it could possibly be motivated by ongoing tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
It was important that the meeting took place just hours after the Saudi Foreign Minister spoke with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. The flurry of engagements suggests Pakistan may be trying to ease tensions between the two main Gulf allies.
Read also: Dar discusses ‘regional situation’ with Saudi foreign minister amid growing tensions in Gulf
In Yemen, long-standing Gulf cooperation has transformed into an acute diplomatic crisis that risks derailing the unity of the Arab Coalition.
Saudi Arabia has launched airstrikes on Yemen’s port city of Mukalla, targeting what it says are UAE ships and military equipment bound for the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a powerful separatist faction in southern Yemen backed by the UAE. Riyadh called the shipments a “dangerous” threat to its national security and warned Abu Dhabi of additional measures.
The strikes, which Saudi state media said caused no confirmed casualties, were ordered after two ships unloaded weapons and combat vehicles at Mukalla without coalition authorization. Riyadh said its tracking systems were disabled, a claim the UAE strongly rejected, saying the shipment contained no weapons and was intended for its own forces – and that the targeting was a surprise despite prior coordination.
The Yemeni authorities, supported by Riyadh, reacted strongly. Yemen’s Presidential Council declared a state of emergency, canceled a defense deal with the United Arab Emirates and gave Emirati forces 24 hours to withdraw. A 72-hour blockade was imposed on ports and border posts in the territory under their control.
In this context, the meeting between the Prime Minister and the President of the UAE, as well as the telephone conversation between the foreign ministers of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, were significant.
Learn more: Saudi Arabia calls national security a red line, urges UAE to leave Yemen
Pakistan maintains close strategic and economic ties with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and therefore does not want further escalation between the two Gulf countries. According to the official document, Shehbaz, accompanied by DPM Dar, Information Minister Ata Tarar and senior officials, reiterated Islamabad’s commitment to deepening strategic and economic cooperation between Pakistan and the UAE.
He said the talks build on discussions held in Islamabad last week during the UAE President’s first official visit to Pakistan. Prime Minister Shehbaz highlighted the need to boost bilateral trade and expand collaboration in the IT, energy, mining and defense sectors, while lauding the UAE’s role as host to over 2.1 million Pakistani expatriates who anchor people-to-people ties.
Meanwhile, a separate Foreign Ministry statement said Dar called Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
“The two leaders exchanged views on the current regional situation and recent developments. The DPM/FM conveyed year-end greetings and best wishes for the new year, which were warmly reciprocated by Prince Faisal. The DPM/FM expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of bilateral relations. Prince Faisal reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening and further strengthening bilateral relations.”
