ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office has denied reports of an upcoming meeting between Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Indian counterpart, S. Jaishankar, in the United Arab Emirates.
Qureshi arrived on a three-day visit to the UAE on Saturday where he is scheduled to meet the Gulf state’s foreign minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. Jaishankar will travel to the UAE on Sunday, according to the Indian foreign ministry.
India’s announcement that Jaishankar’s visit will coincide with Qureshi’s triggered speculation about a meeting between the two, as their arrival in the UAE comes just days after the Emirati envoy to Washington confirmed the Gulf state had been mediating between the nuclear-armed rivals to help them reach a “healthy and functional” relationship.
“No such meeting is scheduled during foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s ongoing visit to the UAE,” Pakistan foreign office spokesman, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry, said on Saturday evening, responding to a query about a possible meeting between the Pakistani foreign minister and his Indian counterpart.
“During the visit entire spectrum of bilateral relations will be discussed. Discussion will also be held on regional issues of interest,” he told Arab News.
In a session with Pakistani businessmen in Dubai after his arrival, Qureshi said the main purpose of his visit
“The main purpose of my visit is to promote bilateral trade and cooperation between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates in a wide range of fields,” he told participants of a meeting hosted by the Pakistan Business Council.
“I am happy that a large number of Pakistanis live in the UAE, and they are playing a positive role in the construction and development of this country with their hard work and dedication,” Qureshi said.
The UAE is home to the second largest Pakistani community abroad.
