Dubai (TDI): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday met the chief executive of United Arab Emirates (UAE)‘s e& group, formerly known as Etisalat, and invited the company to invest more in Pakistan’s telecom sector.
PTCL’s management is with ‘e&’, which has 26% of the shares.
The largest shareholding of 62% is with the Government of Pakistan and the remaining 12% has been floated through the PSX.
Dar held a meeting with Chief Executive Khalifa Al Shamsi and Chief Operations Officer Khaled Hegazy along with other Pakistani officials.
Underlining Pakistan’s conducive investment policies, the deputy prime minister invited e& to make further investment in the country’s telecom sector.
During the meeting, Khalifa Al Shamsi acknowledged Pakistan’s significance as a growing market in the region, expressing his appreciation towards the country’s efforts to nurture a business-friendly climate.
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Dar is part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s delegation, which is on a 2-day visit to the UAE at the invitation of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to attend the World Governments Summit in Dubai.
This is the premier’s second visit to the UAE since assuming office in March 2024.
Last month, the UAE expressed keen interest in cooperation with Pakistan in the minerals and agriculture sectors during a meeting between PM Shehbaz and UAE President Sheikh Al Nahyan in Rahim Yar Khan.
Pakistan and the UAE share close diplomatic, economic, and cultural relations, strengthened by historical connections and a large Pakistani expatriate community in the Emirates.
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The UAE is one of Pakistan’s largest trading partners and a major source of remittances, with thousands of Pakistanis working in different sectors.
Both countries collaborate on defence, energy, and investment projects, with the UAE frequently providing financial assistance and humanitarian aid to Pakistan.
