ISLAMABAD: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has shown a willingness to sign a number of pacts during the forthcoming visit of Pakistani Prime Minister to Dubai, well informed sources in Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Business Recorder.
The sources said Pakistani Embassy officials held a meeting with the West Asia Affairs Department and Legal Affairs Division of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to follow-up on pending MoUs/agreements.
According to sources, the UAE side emphasized that they are ready to sign MoU on the Maritime Shipping & Institutional Development.
The UAE side has also urged Pakistan to merge draft agreement for recognition of product conformity certificate between Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA) and Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) and draft MoU for cooperation in Halal Accreditation between PNAC and ESMA in one MoU/agreement as the ESMA is concerned authority for the two agreements/MoU.
The UAE has also showed readiness to sign MoU for development of renewable energy projects in Pakistan.
PM’s proposed UAE visit: MoFA giving final touches to agenda
On draft agreement between UAE Armed Forces and the Pakistan Armed Forces concerning the Secondment of personnel to UAE, the officials of UAE Foreign Ministry informed Pakistani side that they had forwarded the revised draft agreement to the Joint Staff Headquarters of Pakistan through Defence Attache of the Mission. The UAE side has also expressed willingness to sign the MoU on cooperation in combating human trafficking. The UAE side contended that they will expedite the action on their side and will see the possibility of signing the MoU regarding cooperation in the field of environment during the upcoming VVIP visit from Pakistan to the UAE.
The sources further stated that the UAE side was ready to sign MoU in the field of cyber security between Cyber Security Council of the UEA and Pakistan during the VVIP visit from Pakistan.
Regarding amendments in the agreement of Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement (ADTA), the UAE side requested negotiations for amendments in the agreement of “avoidance of double taxation on income” at the earliest.
On the issue of draft MoU on the establishment of Joint Committee for Consular Affairs between Pakistan and the UAE, the UAE side emphasized a meeting for a comprehensive discussion on consular related matters and finalizing the draft MoU as early as possible. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sources said, has asked all concerned Ministries to fulfill codal formalities on the pending MoUs/agreements in order to sign them during the upcoming VVIP visit under intimation to the Ministry. On March 10, 2022, in an Inter-Ministerial Meeting (IMM) it was decided that all relevant Ministries/departments will expedite action on those agreements/MoUs, which are pending on the Pakistan side.
The concerned Ministries have been asked to share the list of those agreements/MoUs that are ready for signatures from Pakistan and update on the following long outstanding issues, which are as follows: (i) Air Services Agreement including UAE’s requests for operation of A380 to Pakistan ;(ii) increase in flight operations etc; (iii) problems being faced by DP World in Port Qasim; (iv) anti-dumping duties; (v) M/s Etisalat issue and; (vi) dates for the 12th session of the JMC.
Both Pakistan and UAE are in talks for possible deal on Guddu Thermal Power Plant. Finance Ministry has advised Privatisation Commission to engage with HBK-DOP, UEA as per the standard procedures and practices. Finance Ministry argues that it has no role to play in privatisation process of any entity as per function assigned to it under the Rules of Business, 1973, therefore, PC may proceed in the matter at its own level as deemed appropriate. The sources said presently 30 pacts between Pakistan and the UAE are awaiting signatures from both sides.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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