Pakistan was expected to sign (FTA) with (UAE) during the upcoming visit of an Emirati delegation in the last week of this month, caretaker Commerce Minister Dr Gohar Ejaz announced on Sunday.
The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trade partner after China and the United States. The Gulf country is also home to an estimated 1.8 million Pakistani expatriates, the second-largest source of remittances of more than E240 million after Saudi Arabia.
The UAE is also viewed as an ideal export destination by policymakers in Pakistan mainly because of its geographical proximity to the country, which reduces transportation and freight costs. Ejaz said that the UAE delegation’s visit would be focused on trade, investment, and the economy.
“An Emirates delegation is planned for the end of September to finalise the FTA,” an Arab News report quoted Ejaz.
The report added that the UAE had signed FTAs with around nine countries and was working with Pakistan.
