Pakistan

PM seeks ‘urgent contact’ with UAE counterpart

The letter by FO said the Embassy of Pakistan in Abu Dhabi had already contacted the UAE authorities in this regard

Our Correspondent July 13, 2017

PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD: Facing mounting pressure following the damning report by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the Panamagate case, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has reportedly sought an urgent telephonic contact with the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid al Makhtoum.

This was revealed in a letter purportedly written by Foreign Office to the Embassy of UAE in Islamabad seeking an ‘urgent arrangement’ for telephonic contact between the two leaders.

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“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Islamabad and has the honour to inform that H E Prime Minister of Pakistan wishes to urgently speak to H E Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Makhtoum, the vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE over the telephone,” reads the letter a copy of which was available with The Express Tribune.

The letter dated 12 July also said the Embassy of Pakistan in Abu Dhabi had already contacted the UAE authorities in this regard. However, the assistance of the esteemed Embassy was solicited for the earlier confirmation of a convenient time slot to make this telephone call today (Wednesday).

“Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the esteemed Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Islamabad the assurances of its highest consideration,” the letter further said.

The letter also gave the official telephone numbers of the Prime Minister office on which the UAE leader could contact Nawaz Sharif.

The letter did not elaborate as to what exactly prompted the prime minister to seek urgent contact with the UAE leader. However, speculations were rife that the urgent contact was sought in the backdrop of findings of the JIT.

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In its findings, the JIT also linked the Prime Minister with one of the offshore companies in Dubai. The confirmation of Nawaz Sharif’s link to that company came from the UAE authorities through the mutual legal assistance.

It was also not clear that whether any telephonic contact was established between the Prime Minister and the UAE leader till filing of this report.

The authenticity of the letter, however, could not be verified as foreign office spokesperson was not available for the reaction despite repeated attempts.

COMMENTS (4)

Asif | 6 years ago | Reply Why do they need to loot and will continue to do so? Because the only way they know how they can get wealthy is by corruption. Is there any entrepreneur who used to be a bank robber and who know creates his wealth from startups or becomes a Bank President? Nawaz and family bought/buy very expensive property but the property depreciates, it requires maintenance, you have to pay taxes and any rental money is taxed, property is taxed according to the value of the property. If they don't loot they won't be able to maintain these properties. So for the Nawaz family it is a matter of life and death. So he will not resign unless he is sent packing by his own party. Zardari and his mini-me also invest heavily in property abroad. They are also from the same cut.

Asim | 6 years ago | Reply Nawaz is radioactive, no1 would want him. He felt way too much secure when this panama started. Obviously his think tank i.e khawaja asif are to be blamed. Even when case started he could have contacted other countries But he waited way too long for things to turn around. Ita way too late, you are corrupt its fine,mostly u would get along woth other coutries leaders but you corrupt and caught red handed thats a no no.

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