UAE FM calls Qureshi to condole Pakistani's death in Houthi attack

FO says FM thanked his Emirati counterpart, offered condolences to all affected families and also denounced the attack

Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday called his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi and condoled the death of a Pakistani national in the Houthi drone attack near the Abu Dhabi airport a day earlier.

Following the call, FM Qureshi took to Twitter to thank Sheikh Abdullah for offering his condolences, and condemn the attack.

"Thank you brother HH FM @ABZayed for your call of condolence on tragic death of a Pakistan national in the terrorist attack in Abu Dhabi," Qureshi said.

The foreign minister also offered "condolences to the families of all victims," while strongly condemning the attack that violated the "sovereignty & territorial integrity of UAE."

Thank you brother HH FM @ABZayed for your call of condolence on tragic death of a Pakistan national in the terrorist attack in Abu Dhabi. We offer our condolences to the families of all victims & strongly condemn the attack, violating sovereignty & territorial integrity of #UAE

— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) January 18, 2022

Earlier today, the Foreign Office condemned the "heinous terrorist attack on civilian areas carried out by the Houthis in Abu Dhabi that claimed several lives, including one Pakistani national."

In his statement, FO spokesperson Asim Iftikhar offered condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

He further said that such attacks violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the UAE and posed a grave threat to regional peace and security, calling for their immediate cessation.

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Iftikhar also said Pakistan stood in solidarity with the brotherly people and the government of the UAE in the face of the "wanton act of terrorism."

Confirming the demise of the Pakistani national in the incident, he had said Pakistan's embassy was in close contact with the Emirati authorities for ascertaining more details in this regard.

Three people were killed and six wounded when three fuel tanker trucks exploded in the industrial Musaffah area near storage facilities of oil firm ADNOC, state news agency WAM said. It said those killed were two Indians and a Pakistani.

In its response, the UAE government had said the attack carried out by the Yemen rebels on areas and civilian facilities on the Emirati soil would not go unpunished.