In a major development, United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s day-long trip to Islamabad has been cancelled due to bad weather conditions.
According to the details, the UAE president, who arrived in Pakistan on January 25, was scheduled to pay a visit to Islamabad today to discuss the friendship and cooperation between the Gulf state and Pakistan and ways to enhance them in various fields.
However, due to inclement weather conditions, the UAE President’s flight was delayed and later the visit to Islamabad was cancelled. The foreign dignitary was waiting for take-off from 7.30 in the morning but the security team did not allow his plane to take off for Islamabad. New dates for the UAE president’s visit to Pakistan will be announced later.
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The UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan also contacted PM Shehbaz Sharif and expressed sorrow over the cancellation of the visit.
Pertinent to mention that arrangements to welcome Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan were already finalised in Islamabad. He was to be escorted by JF-17 aircraft to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Nur Khan Air Base. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and important members of the federal cabinet were also there to welcome the distinguished guest at the air base.
Moreover, the government had also announced a public holiday in Islamabad for the occasion. The federal capital’s administration issued a notification saying all educational institutions — private and public — will remain closed, while the offices will also observe closure on Monday.
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Therefore, the cancellation of the UAE President’s visit to Islamabad at the eleventh hour has triggered strong reactions from netizens on social media. Netizens are expressing their upset over the cancellation of the visit while also questioning the alleged inability of airports to deal with bad weather conditions. The government has also come under fire for failing to host the foreign dignitary.
https://twitter.com/Noobiy12/status/1619957271680909312?s=20&t=oWzvpSzpaoY9o7T0QwPPXg
Entire Islamabad is shut due to the visit of UAE’s president & the president didn’t even come.
— ABDULLAH🇵🇰 (@KaiKaiThunder) January 30, 2023
The whole Islamabad is on holiday by the orders of the federal government: just to welcome the guest ( President UAE )_
And an eleventh-hour decision has been made by the UAE government , announcing the cancellation of the visit.Man proposes, God disposes.
— Sana khan Nadeem (@SanaInParadise) January 30, 2023
متحدہ عرب امارات کے بادشاہ نے اسلام آباد کا دورہ منسُوخ کردیا۔ پاکستان آۓ ہیں رحیم یار خان آۓ ہیں مگر آج اسلام آباد نہیں آۓ۔
اور یہاں پُورا اسلام آباد بند کرکے عام تعطیل کی ہُوئ ہے۔ اور کتنی تذلیل کروائیں گے پاکستان کی یہ لوگ۔
— Mir Mohammad Alikhan (@MirMAKOfficial) January 30, 2023
For the first time govt of the beggars declared holiday for today in the honour of UAE President visiting Islamabad today but it is learnt now that the visit has been postponed apparently due to bad weather; Maybe true or otherwise.
— A A Kiani (@AAKiani1) January 30, 2023
The visit of UAE President Zayed Al Nahyan to Pakistan has been postponed due to "weather conditions": official statement
It'd also been okay if "political conditions" was written instead.
— azhar khan (@azharkhn4) January 30, 2023
The government declared holiday in Islamabad for visit of President of UAE, who postponed visit due to bad weather.
Not being able to host a foreign digintory without declaring public holiday is a serious governance failure. https://t.co/yRaTnMgeDp
— Adnan Aamir (@iAdnanAamir) January 30, 2023
UAE President visit cancelled cuz of weather it’s hardly cloudy not even severe thunderstorms? Why are all other flights operating as usual? Noor khan base weather likely same as Isb intl. pic.twitter.com/i7Brzw9UmG
— Sam (@samjampk) January 30, 2023