UAE President cancels Pakistan trip hours before scheduled take-off

In a sudden turn of events a few hours before his flight President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s day-long visit to Pakistan was postponed on Monday due to “bad weather”.

Pakistan had planned a red-carpet welcome for Zayed whose support is critical to bring Pak economy back on track. He was scheduled to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss bilateral ties and broaden his country's investment footprint in Pakistan, according to reports.

During Sharif's recent visit to UAE, the hosts refused to include reference to Kashmir in the joint statement. Zayed has been a key architect of transforming ties with India over the last decade.


Sharif claimed that the "guest's safety and protection were dearer to him, and a risk could not be taken in extreme weather conditions". Sharif and members of the federal cabinet were poised to welcome the UAE President at the Pakistan Air Force's Nur Khan Air Base on Monday.

The UAE President earlier visited Pakistan on January 25 in Rahim Yar Khan in the country's Punjab province for a private visit, during which he briefly met Sharif for talks.

It appears that the UAE President wanted to avoid back-to-back trips to Pakistan to put to rest any controversy. Last year the Saudi Crown Prince also avoided visiting Pakistan without visiting India.