Abu Dhabi Crown Prince witnesses Etihad Rail-Pakistan deal

His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has concluded an official visit to Pakistan where multiple agreements were signed, including MoUs between Etihad Rail and Pakistan’s Ministry of Railways.

President Asif Ali Zardari also awarded His Highness with the Nishan-e-Pakistan, the nation’s highest civilian honourary order. 

During the visit two leaders discussed bilateral relations and cooperation between the two nations at the Presidential Palace in Islamabad and witnessed several key signing agreements, including the Memoranda of Understandings (MoU’s) between Etihad Rail and Pakistan’s Ministry of Railways, the aim of which is to enhance the operational efficiency of Pakistan’s existing railway network, in addition to establishing a new railway network.

Discussions centred on the enduring bilateral relations between the two countries and emphasised the commitment of both nations and their leadership to explore avenues to further enhance bilateral relations and advance strategic partnerships across key economic and developmental sectors.

During the meeting Sheikh Khaled underscored the importance of deepening UAE-Pakistan partnerships and capitalising on the substantial milestones achieved. He highlighted that the leadership of both nations share a unified vision, recognising economic and developmental collaboration as a cornerstone for driving sustainable growth.

His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed reaffirmed that the UAE-Pakistan strategic partnership stands as a distinguished model of impactful collaboration, driving progress across railway network expansion, natural resource exploration and financial sector investments. He highlighted that these efforts serve as powerful enablers of sustainable economic growth and strengthening trade and investment exchanges between the two nations.

Also, an agreement in the mining sector was signed between International Resources Holding (IRH), a subsidiary of 2PointZero which is part of International Holding Company (IHC), specialising in natural resource extraction, and Mari Energies, to establish a joint exploration project for copper and gold in the Chagai district of Balochistan.

A commitment agreement was also signed between Eve Holding RCS, a subsidiary of 2PointZero, and First Women Bank Limited (FWBL), under which Eve Holding RCS will acquire 82.64 per cent of the bank’s shares. FWBL operates 42 branches across Pakistan and this acquisition is part of the privatisation programme launched by the Pakistani government across multiple sectors.

Finally, an MoU was signed between AD Ports Group and the Pakistan Board of Investment to explore developing a Special Economic Zone near Karachi Port and Port Qasim to facilitate trade and economic activity in the region.