UAE Pulls Out Of Pak Airport Deal After President's India Trip: Report

New Delhi: The United Arab Emirates has reportedly withdrawn from a deal that would require it to take over the management of the Islamabad International Airport. This development comes shortly after UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan made a brief visit to India, and is being looked at as a setback to Pakistan’s plans to outsource operations of the airport. 

According to a report by a Pakistani daily, The Express Tribune, the UAE did not finalise the proposed arrangement after being unable to select a local partner for the project, which had been under consideration since August last year. The report cited sources as saying that repeated delays by the UAE led Abu Dhabi to lose interest in the deal.

The UAE President recently held a nearly three-hour-long high-level meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Prime Minister’s official residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, in New Delhi. Pakistani media reports have not directly linked the UAE’s decision to the recent India visit. However, the timing of the withdrawal has garnered significant attention

The Express Tribune reported that the proposal to outsource the airport’s operations was delayed after Abu Dhabi did not move forward with major procedural requirements, including the selection of a domestic partner, which was integral for the execution of the project. According to reports, no official communication explaining why the deal was withdrawn has been received yet. No statements by the Pakistani or the UAE government on the deal have been recorded so far.

Also read: Nari Shakti: Simran Bala Becomes 1st Woman To Lead All-Male CRPF Unit At Republic-Day Parade