Bonds that withstand the sands of time
In the process of interviewing Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the United Arab Emirates, I was reminded of the importance of diplomacy and bilateral engagement on a state level. What it also highlighted was the undeniable significance of bonds that withstand time and transient misperceptions.
Utterly remarkable is Pakistan’s deep bond with the United Arab Emirates. For millions of Pakistanis, Dubai is the face of that bond. Existing on myriad spectra — personal, professional, business and tourism — this mutual affection is decades old, restrengthening each time a Pakistani citizen experiences the uniqueness of Dubai. The same is true of Pakistanis visiting, residing, and working in Abu Dhabi, the truly impressive capital of the UAE, and its other wonderful states — Sharjah, Umm Al Qaiwain, Fujairah, Ajman, and Ras Al Khaimah.
In the backdrop of my three decades of visiting the UAE as a tourist, I think of it as a mini subcontinent. It is a place like no other — its fascinating culture and ethos and its incomparable amalgamation of the positive aspects of different races, faiths, nationalities, and ideologies by encouraging people from almost every part of the world to make the UAE their work, business, tourism, and shopping destination and their long-term or permanent residence, while remaining a quintessentially middle eastern country.
In the context of the UAE’s wholeness, I believe the viewpoint of a high-level diplomat always carries a distinct substance. Going beyond the gloss and the façade, our ambassadors understand the country they are working in with a special personalness and a comprehensive objectivity that is all-encompassing, and beyond the constraints of political, economic, social, and other sensibilities of Pakistan.
Ambassador Tirmizi has earlier served as Pakistan’s envoy to the Kyrgyz
Republic, Bishkek, 2018-2019, and as Consul General of Pakistan in Chicago, USA. He has also served in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, 1996-1999, UN headquarters Geneva, Switzerland, 2003-2007, and as Counsellor in Abu Dhabi, 2007-2010.
For The Express Tribune, I asked His Excellency Ambassador Faisal Tirmizi a few questions:
MT: Pakistan holds the royal family of the United Arab Emirates in high esteem, going back to the days of the great Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. How do we ensure that the scope of our bilateral ties commensurate with our mutual affection?
FT: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates have historically enjoyed fraternal relations that date back to even before December 1971. The foundation of our strong relations was laid by the late His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. In 1971, after the union, Pakistan became the first country to recognise the UAE. As a good will gesture and diplomatic support to our brotherly country, Pakistan sent its first ambassador six months before the formation of the UAE. Ambassador Jamiluddin Hassan came to the UAE in June 1971. Since then, Pakistan has played a pivotal role in laying institutional foundations of the UAE
In return, Pakistan has benefited from development assistance and investment from the UAE, along with the employment of 1.6 million Pakistanis in the UAE.
These relations, characterised by mutual respect, trust and solidarity, are being nurtured by the successive leaderships of both the countries and have been translated into support in multiple arenas. Over the years, Pakistan and the UAE have expanded their cooperation in various fields, including trade, investment, defence, and energy. The two countries have supported each other in regional and international fora, signed numerous agreements and held regular high-level visits to enhance strategic partnerships.
Pakistan and the UAE share deep cultural, historical, and strategic ties, which have stood the test of time, and the two countries have strengthened their bilateral relations over the years.
MT: What is the strength of the Pakistani diaspora in the UAE? What measures have the successive Pakistan governments taken for their facilitation?
FT: The Pakistani diaspora in the UAE is over 1.6 million, making it the second largest expatriate community in the UAE. The Pakistani community in the UAE is diverse, consisting of skilled and unskilled workers, professionals, entrepreneurs, and students. They are valued and recognised in the country due to their hard work and dedication and their positive role in the development of the country.
Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Consulate General in Dubai are well connected and accessible to all our community members. We ensure provision of speedy consular services, easy access and legal guidance and engage with our community members through awareness programmes and other community engagements planned for their welfare.
While we work for their welfare, it is also important to highlight their achievements and give them due recognition. In my four months in the UAE, I have remained actively engaged with such individuals, encouraged their work, be it cultural, literary, in the fields of trade and business or media. Their hard work and dedication have earned them good place and reputation in the UAE and need to be recognized.
The Pakistani missions in the UAE are committed to facilitating the welfare and interests of its diaspora in the UAE and recognising their contribution to the economic, social and cultural development of both countries.
MT: What is the volume of the remittances from the UAE to Pakistan? How would you assess the response of the Pakistani diaspora to the Roshan Digital Account?
FT: The UAE is one of the top sources of remittances for Pakistan, with a significant number of Pakistani expatriates working in the country and sending money back home. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, remittances from the UAE to Pakistan in the last financial year, 2021-22, amounted to US$5.7 billion, which is second largest in the Gulf region.
The government of Pakistan launched the Roshan Digital Account (RDA) initiative in 2020 to facilitate remittances from overseas Pakistanis through digital channels. The response of the Pakistani diaspora to the RDA in the UAE has been positive, with many expatriates using the platform to send money to their families and invest in various sectors in Pakistan. The Pakistani diaspora in the UAE has found the RDA convenient, secure, and attractive. The response of the Pakistani diaspora to the RDA initiative has been encouraging, and it is expected to further boost the volume of remittances from the UAE.
MT: Are there any problems peculiar to the Pakistani blue-collar workers in the UAE? What are the steps that can be taken to make their lives easier?
FT: A significant number of Pakistani workers in the UAE are employed in blue collar jobs. Their well-being and welfare remain our top priority. They are contributing towards development of both countries, by their hard work in the host country and by sending remittances back home. We engage with them on a regular basis through different outreach and awareness programmes. We try to educate them on legal and regulatory framework of the UAE, their legal rights, visas, and labour laws, and how to obtain legal assistance in case of any violation. We also remain engaged with the host government for their welfare and betterment.
MT: Historically, Pakistan and the UAE have always maintained strong defence ties. How would you describe Pakistan military’s role in the training missions of the UAE armed forces?
FT: You are right to point to the historic relations that our two militaries have enjoyed since the unification of the UAE. From helping set up the UAE armed forces to helping train the next generation of UAE’s armed forces, Pakistanis have left their indelible mark on the ever-ready armed forces of the UAE. Not only do we have a large number of serving officers seconded to the UAE armed forces for training the young men and women of the UAE, a number of retired Pakistani officers are also serving here to make UAE’s defence stronger. We are proud that the strong military ethos of our professional soldiers, sailors and airmen are helping our brothers in arms here in the UAE.
At the same time, we are also regularly conducting bilateral and multilateral exercises with the UAE armed forces. From what we have seen, we are proud of our brotherly UAE armed forces, which are holding their flag high by matching their professionalism with the best militaries around the world.
Pakistan and the UAE have maintained strong defence ties since the beginning. Pakistan played a significant role in helping the UAE in establishing its military and security forces, by providing technical support, training, and trained manpower. Pakistani personnel have held prominent positions as advisers and trainers in the UAE Air Force. The first Chief of Air Staff of the UAE, appointed by Sheikh Zayed, was Air Commodore Ayaz Ahmed Khan, followed by Ghulam Haider, Jamal A Khan and Feroz A Khan, all of whom were Pakistan Air Force officers. Pakistan Army has also established the UAE Armor Training School and imparted training to commando battalions as well.
Pakistan’s Armed Forces also invited UAE officers at training institutions in Pakistan. High level military delegates from both sides visit from time to time, conduct joint exercises and participate in defence exhibitions in both countries.
The defence cooperation between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates is long standing and has grown stronger over the years.