Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday held talks with United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Sheikh Zayed Palace here, focusing on deepening bilateral ties with a strong emphasis on economic cooperation. The prime minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Minister for Information Ata Tarar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, and senior officials. According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the two leaders reviewed progress on discussions held during Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed’s recent visit to Islamabad on December 26, his first official visit to Pakistan as UAE president. Prime Minister Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to transforming the longstanding brotherly relationship with the UAE into a strategic and mutually beneficial economic partnership. READ MORE: PM Shehbaz, UAE president call for expanding bilateral investment, economic cooperation He underlined the need for a “quantum jump” in bilateral trade to unlock the full potential of economic cooperation. The leaders discussed expanding collaboration in key sectors including information technology, energy, mining and minerals, as well as defence cooperation. The prime minister praised the UAE’s rapid development under Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed’s leadership and expressed gratitude for Abu Dhabi’s continued support in strengthening bilateral relations. He also acknowledged the contribution of the Pakistani diaspora, noting that around 2.1 million Pakistanis living in the UAE were playing an important role in further cementing ties between the two countries. In addition to bilateral matters, the two sides exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest. The meeting concluded a year marked by frequent high-level engagements between Pakistan and the UAE, reflecting the growing momentum in relations between the two countries.