UAE President’s visit to Islamabad cancelled due to weather conditions

ISLAMABAD: Bad weather conditions have forced the cancellation of the one-day visit of United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Islamabad.

A statement from the Prime Minister Office said on Monday: “Due to weather conditions, President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visit to the friendly Islamic Republic of Pakistan scheduled for today has been postponed to a later date.”

The UAE President, who arrived in Pakistan on January 25 on a private trip, was scheduled to officially visit the federal capital on Monday. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had welcomed him in Rahim Yar Khan, where the two leaders also held a meeting.

All arrangements for Sheikh Mohamed’s welcome in Islamabad were complete and tight security measures were also put in place, including closure of all educational institutions and offices for a day.

The welcome party to greet the UAE President on his arrival in Islamabad would have included Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and members of his federal cabinet.

President Sheikh Mohamed’s plane was to be escorted by Pakistan Air Force’s JF-17 aircraft from Rahim Yar Khan to PAF Nur Khan Air Base, where a 21-gun salute was ready to greet him.

Later, the UAE president was to be given a guard of honour by the armed forces of Pakistan at the Prime Minister’s House, after which he was scheduled to have a one-on-one meeting with PM Shehbaz.