ABU DHABI // The Pakistani president, Asif Ali Zardari, visited the tomb of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan yesterday as part of his two-day visit to the UAE. Mr Zardari was accompanied by Saqr Ghobash, the Minister of Labour, and other UAE officials. Mr Zardari wrote in the electronic register that "the world misses Sheikh Zayed. He was an example of humanity, generosity, peace and fraternity," the state news agency, WAM, reported.
Mr Zardari later met members of the Pakistani community at a gathering at the residence of the Pakistani ambassador to the UAE, Khurshed Ahmed Junejo. He also met local representatives of his Pakistan People's Party. Mr Zardari's visit coincided with reports that the IMF had approved a US$7.6 billion (Dh27.9bn) fund for Pakistan to rescue its ailing economy. Media reports suggested that an amount equivalent to $3.1bn would immediately be made available to the country.
On Monday night, Mr Zardari met leading Pakistani businessmen here and urged them to invest in their home country, promising incentives. More than 850,000 Pakistanis live in the UAE and remit more than $1bn home each year. Mr Zardari also held discussions with executives of UAE public and private companies, including the chairman of Etisalat, Mohammad Hassan Omran. Mr Omran told WAM that Etisalat, which owns a 26 per cent stake in Pakistan Telecommunication Company, was committed to long-term investment in Pakistan.
pmenon@thenational.ae