UAE leaders congratulate Pakistan on 75th Independence Day

Messages of support sent by President Sheikh Mohamed and Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid

President Sheikh Mohamed and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, sent messages of congratulations to Pakistan on its 75th Independence Day. Photo: Presidential Court

UAE leaders have offered their congratulations to Pakistan on its 75th Independence Day.

President Sheikh Mohamed sent a message of support to Pakistani counterpart Dr Arif Alvi to mark the occasion.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, sent similar notes to President Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The UAE and Pakistan enjoy long-standing ties, spanning decades.

President Sheikh Mohamed on Tuesday received a call from Mr Sharif, in which they discussed bilateral relations and ways of enhancing them in various fields.

Mr Sharif expressed his thanks to Sheikh Mohamed for the economic and development support provided to Pakistan from the UAE.

He also praised positive progress witnessed in bilateral trade and economic relations.

Sheikh Mohamed spoke of the strong UAE-Pakistan ties and wished Pakistan and its people further progress and development.

Earlier this month, the UAE announced plans to invest $1 billion in Pakistani companies in various economic sectors.

Pakistan celebrates milestone day

Celebrations are being held across Pakistan to mark the anniversary of its independence from British rule.

Power was transferred to Pakistan's founding father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, on August 14, 1947, by Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last viceroy of British India and the first governor-general of the Dominion of India.

Jinnah was head of the All-India Muslim League, which had led growing demands during the 1940s for a separate homeland for the Muslim minority of South Asia as violence between Muslims and Hindus increased.

Under the Mountbatten Plan approved earlier in 1947, Pakistan was created out of north-western and eastern parts of the British-ruled Indian subcontinent, while the rest became modern-day India.