A statement issued by the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on Tuesday said that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, on his first official visit to the Gulf country, called on UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Defense and military relations were discussed.
During the meeting, the two sides also discussed ways to strengthen military affairs to meet the common interests of the two friendly countries, according to the state-run news agency.
The statement said, “Both sides reviewed the cooperation between the UAE and Pakistan in defense and military affairs and ways to strengthen them to serve the common interests of the two friendly countries as well as joint work”.
H.H Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE receives at Qasr Al Shati Palace Abu Dhabi General Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and discusses ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and joint work between the two countries pic.twitter.com/BkRmi1HeEE
— UAE Embassy PK (@uaeembassyisb) January 10, 2023
General Munir was received by the President of the UAE at Qasr Al Shati Palace. President Nahyan congratulated the Army Chief on his appointment and wished him well in his new responsibilities to serve the country and the people.
General Munir thanked and praised the President for the felicitation, WAM reported.
The meeting was attended by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE National Security Advisor, Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Advisor to the Presidential Ministry on Special Affairs. The court named Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Supreme Council for National Security Secretary General Ali Mohammed Hamad Al Shamsi and Staff Lieutenant General Engineer Isa Saif Mohammed Al Mazrouei as the Chief of Staff of the UAE Armed Forces.
General Munir met the Saudi Crown Prince.
A day earlier, General Munir met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and “reviewed bilateral relations and ways to enhance them,” the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
During the reception, according to the SPA, the army chief and the Saudi crown prince “reviewed a number of issues of mutual concern as well as bilateral relations and ways to enhance them.”
The official news agency reported that Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and National Security Adviser Dr. Musa bin Mohammed Al-Aiban also attended the reception.
This is General Munir’s first foreign official visit after assuming the post of Army Chief. He is expected to return to Pakistan on January 10.
ISPR said that during the week-long visit, the army chief will hold meetings with the top leadership of the two countries and focus on issues of mutual interest, military-to-military cooperation and bilateral relations and discuss security-related issues. Will talk.
The doors of the Kaaba were opened for General Munir.
General Munir performed Umrah where the doors of the Kaaba were opened for him, The News reported on Monday.
In a video posted on Instagram, General Munir can be seen walking out of the Kaaba along with some others. The army chief was wearing a black jacket and pants.
Local media reports said that the doors of the Kaaba were opened for the top general to receive extraordinary hospitality. General Munir, who is a Hafiz of the Quran, offered prayers inside the Kaaba.
Another clip shows the army chief visiting the Prophet’s Mosque (PBUH), the second holiest mosque in Islam, being guarded by Saudi security personnel.
