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Pakistan, UAE vow to bolster ‘strategic partnership’ in joint statement

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  • PM Shehbaz holds meetings with UAE leadership.
  • Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relationships.
  • UAE announces $3 billion economic relief for Pakistan.

Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) agreed on the need to intensify the “strategic partnership and cooperation” between the two countries during a bilateral meeting, a joint statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) said Friday. 

The statement was issued at the conclusion of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s two-day official visit to the Gulf country during which he met UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and held detailed discussions on concrete measures to strengthen the bilateral relationship. 

On Thursday, the UAE also provided a $3 billion lifeline to Pakistan to help the country amid depleting forex reserves.

During the meeting, the two sides — with a view to developing tangible and meaningful bilateral cooperation in key areas — agreed to intensify consultation and coordination to bolster strategic partnership and cooperation, particularly in the field of information and communication technologies and work together for bridging the digital divide.

The two leaders, the statement added, also exchanged views on regional political and security matters. 

“They also discussed a specific initiative to enhance cooperation in political, defence, economic, commercial and cultural areas, developing joint ventures, and strengthening collaboration in the human resource sector,” it said. 

The prime minister thanked the UAE president for generous assistance during the recent floods in Pakistan, particularly through an air bridge established for this purpose.

During PM Shehbaz’s interaction with the UAE leadership, both countries reaffirmed their historical and brotherly ties, rooted in shared religion, culture, values, and pursuit of regional and global peace and security. They also expressed satisfaction at the convergence of views on a host of regional and global issues.

Based on their decades-old fraternal ties, both countries expressed solidarity with each other in efforts to preserve their sovereignty and territorial integrity, read the statement. 

Moreover, the two sides signed Memoranda of Understanding in the field of combating human trafficking, information exchange, and between the diplomatic academies of both countries.

Accepting PM Shehbaz‘s invitation to Pakistan, President Nahyan agreed to visit Pakistan at a later date.

This was the prime minister’s third visit to the UAE after assuming office. He is also accompanied by a high-level delegation, including key members of the cabinet. 

Loan to Pakistan

A day earlier, the UAE president agreed to roll over the existing loan of $2 billion and provide an additional $1 billion loan to Pakistan. 

The much-needed relief was critical for cash-strapped Pakistan’s distressed economy as the ninth review of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme to clear the release of the next $1.1 billion tranche of funds has been pending since September.

Pakistan faces a severe economic crisis, with its central bank foreign exchange reserves falling to a critical level of below $5 billion, which is barely enough for three weeks of imports.

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A 4.9-magnitude earthquake rattles Swat and surrounding areas.

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Late on Thursday night, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.9 shook the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as the surrounding districts of Swat.

Fearfully, people emerged from their houses and began reciting passages from the Holy Quran. The earthquake did not cause any documented casualties or damage to property in any area in Swat.

The earthquake’s epicenter, according to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre in Islamabad, was situated 71 kilometers deep in the border region between Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan.

A 5.3-magnitude earthquake that struck earlier in the day rocked several Pakistani cities, including Islamabad, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, and the Swat valley. In addition, Lower Dir, Malakand, and Muzaffarabad all experienced earthquakes.

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Pakistan

Sources claim that Babar was reappointed as the cricket team’s captain.

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Reappointing Babar Azam to lead the national squad upon the call of the newly-formed selection committee was decided by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday.

Sources claim that Babar will captain the Green Shirts in the upcoming five-match Twenty20 series against New Zealand, which kicks off on April 20.

After the team’s crushing defeat in the ICC World Cup 2023, Shaheen Shah Afridi was chosen as the white-ball captain, while Shan Masood was named the red-ball captain by the previous PCB administration.

The sources claimed that Babar’s appointment as captain was suggested by the selection committee. They said he will go to the Kakul training camp as captain.

Shaheen had chosen to step down, but his close friends urged him against it and to wait for the PCB’s decision, according to individuals close to him.

After guiding the team for four years, Babar resigned as captain of the national team in all formats in November of last year. After Pakistan’s poor performance in both the Asia Cup and the World Cup, where they were unable to advance to the semi-finals, he faced criticism for several months.

Although Babar was named Test and white-ball captain in 2020 and 2019, respectively, the side has neither won an Asia Cup nor an ICC championship while he has been captain.

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Food

Two children died after consuming apples treated with pesticide.

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 four more children were ill and at least two toddlers died in Abbottabad on Thursday after consuming apples treated with pesticide.

The specifics include that as the children were traveling home from their studies at the madrassa, they ate sprayed apples from a garden. As a result, six of the children’s conditions worsened, and they were sent to a local hospital right away.

Four children were in serious condition and two died in the hospital while receiving treatment. Five-year-old Fanan and seven-year-old Hina Shehzadi were named as the deceased.

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