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Pak Cultural Centres set to reopen in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain

Speaking to prominent members of the Pakistani community in Abu Dhabi yesterday, Ahsan Ullah Khan, Ambassador to the UAE, said the two centres, which were closed, would be soon open their doors, providing a platform for community get-togethers and recreation.

He said that in consultation with the UAE government, a mechanism would soon be devised to manage the two centres. He did not give any timeline for their openings.

The ambassador expressed confidence over the warm relations between the two brotherly countries, as the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, had consultations on issues of cooperation and mutual interest recently during his private visit to Pakistan.

Later speaking to reporters, Ahsan Ullah Khan, who is also Pakistan’s Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, said his country’s exports to the UAE had increased by 13 per cent to $1.6 billion during 2007.

The exports mainly include rice, petroleum products and non-traditional goods.

On the other hand, the UAE exports to Pakistan also grew to $3.6 billion last year on the back of high oil prices. Pakistan’s main imports from the UAE include chemicals, plastic resins and gold.

The ambassador said remittances from the UAE reached $800 million, surpassing all targets set for 2006-07.

To a question on the $5-6 billion oil refinery project to be set up by the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) of Abu Dhabi as a joint venture with Pak Arab Refinery, in Balochistan’s Khalifa Point area, Ahsan Ullah Khan said both countries had already approved the project, which had now moved on to the feasibility stage to be completed in a month.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) from the UAE in 2006-07 was in excess of $450 million, the Pakistani ambassador said.

Ahsan Ullah Khan said that he expected further increase in the trade exchanges, remittances and FDIs this year, as some very large investments were under discussion.

• UAE