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Amid significant turmoil in the Middle East, a narrative has emerged in the media that longstanding ties between the UAE and Pakistan are deteriorating. But is it true?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Over roughly the past year, a perception has taken hold in the mainstream press and on social media that Pakistan\u2019s relations with the United Arab Emirates are in decline. Driven primarily by the notion that the UAE\u2019s relationship with Pakistan\u2019s rival, India, is ascendant and that Pakistan has drifted closer to Saudi Arabia, the negative sentiment has been further aggravated by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and Islamabad\u2019s cautious response to defending its Gulf allies.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Yet given the deep historical, institutional, and economic ties between Pakistan and the UAE, it is more likely that this belief is misplaced and that the sense of turbulence is largely media-driven hype.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Robust\u00a0Ties<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>
The relationship between the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan has\u00a0long\u00a0been\u00a0anchored\u00a0in shared faith, cultural affinities, and mutual support.\u00a0Beyond their close geographic proximity,\u00a0Pakistan\u00a0was\u00a0among\u00a0the first countries to recognize\u00a0the UAE in 1971 and played a significant role in building the new state\u2019s institutions. Pakistani officers\u00a0helped\u00a0develop\u00a0the Emirates\u2019\u00a0armed forces, especially the air force, with its\u00a0first\u00a0<\/span>five Chiefs of Air Staff<\/span><\/a>\u00a0drawn from\u00a0Pakistani officers.\u00a0Pakistan also played a foundational role in launching Emirates Airline, providing aircraft on wet-lease, pilots, and operational personnel in its early years.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
The UAE, in turn, became one of Pakistan\u2019s most important partners,\u00a0supporting\u00a0the country\u00a0to build major road, health, education and water schemes on the one hand, and\u00a0providing\u00a0assistance\u00a0during floods and\u00a0natural\u00a0disasters on the other.\u00a0Most importantly,\u00a0<\/span>Abu Dhabi<\/span><\/a>\u00a0supported Pakistan\u2019s economic stability through\u00a0<\/span>central bank deposits<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>development financing<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>complemented<\/span><\/a>\u00a0by substantial\u00a0<\/span>private sector investment<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Over time,\u00a0the relationship\u00a0evolved into a broad strategic partnership. The\u00a0UAE became\u00a0Pakistan\u2019s third<\/span>\u2011largest trading partner\u00a0with bilateral trade exceeding\u00a0<\/span>$10.9 billion<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in 2024, a major investor with\u00a0public and private investment\u00a0of more than\u00a0<\/span>$10 billion<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in the\u00a0past two decades, and\u00a0the\u00a0host\u00a0of\u00a0roughly two\u00a0million Pakistani expatriates whose remittances constitute a vital lifeline for Pakistan\u2019s economy.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Is\u00a0the\u00a0Relationship\u00a0Cooling?\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>
Given the trajectory of robust ties, a sudden downturn\u2014if real\u2014would be striking. Five major incidents that took place over the past year\u00a0reveal the divergence between\u00a0official positions\u00a0and\u00a0prevailing media perceptions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
May 2025 India-Pakistan Crisis<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong>
The India-Pakistan\u00a0<\/span>military\u00a0crisis<\/span><\/a>\u00a0that erupted\u00a0in May 2025, which brought the two nuclear powers to the brink of war,\u00a0was one of the earliest issues that the media portrayed as a point of strategic divergence between the UAE and Pakistan.\u00a0<\/span>One<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>mainstream<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>account<\/span>\u00a0claimed that the crisis “crystallized” the differences and “deepened mistrust,” arguing that decision-makers\u00a0on both sides\u00a0<\/span>held starkly divergent views,<\/span>\u00a0with the UAE moving closer to India.\u00a0<\/span>The official record, however, tells a different story.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
During the crisis,\u00a0<\/span>Abu Dhabi<\/span><\/a>\u00a0urged restraint and a resumption of diplomatic efforts\u2014a stance mirrored by Pakistan’s other close partners, such as China, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and T\u00fcrkiye. At the official level, no public evidence of UAE-Pakistan divergence exists.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
The sharp contrast between\u00a0<\/span>this media narrative<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>the actual official positions of both governments<\/span>\u00a0became even more pronounced\u00a0<\/span>in the episodes that followed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Strategic Mutual\u00a0Defense\u00a0Agreement (SMDA)<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong>
When Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA) in September 2025, some media outlets\u00a0argued\u00a0that\u00a0this\u00a0signaled\u00a0strategic divergence with\u00a0the UAE as\u00a0Islamabad moved\u00a0closer to\u00a0Riyadh\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Abu Dhabi\u00a0to\u00a0New Delhi<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0They retrospectively presented\u00a0the UAE-India\u00a0<\/span>letter of\u00a0intent for a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Strategic Defense Partnership\u00a0<\/span>signed<\/span>\u00a0in January 2026 as a\u00a0response\u00a0to the SMDA.\u00a0The matter of fact is that\u00a0Abu Dhabi-New Delhi\u00a0relations\u00a0had\u00a0long\u00a0been\u00a0strengthening.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Notably, the UAE made no statement on the SMDA and continued its traditional diplomatic engagement with Pakistan, as evidenced by reciprocal visits:\u00a0<\/span>UAE President<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan traveled to Pakistan in December 2025, and\u00a0<\/span>Pakistani President<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Asif Ali Zardari visited the UAE in January 2026.\u00a0During these visits, both\u00a0countries\u00a0reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral ties and reaffirmed their intent to deepen cooperation across trade, investment, energy, defense, and people-to-people links.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Pakistan\u2019s Delayed Response\u00a0<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong>
The U.S.-Israel war on Iran\u00a0contributed\u00a0significantly\u00a0to the perception that UAE-Pakistan relations were fraying.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
During the\u00a0conflict, Iran launched missiles and drones at all GCC states, with\u00a0the UAE facing\u00a0the brunt of the Iranian aggression.\u00a0<\/span>Despite the severity of the threat,\u00a0the\u00a0overall\u00a0response\u00a0of\u00a0Pakistani\u00a0Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif\u2019s government was meek. Its condemnation of the Iranian strikes was folded into broader\u00a0calls for restraint rather than issued\u00a0as\u00a0a clear,\u00a0standalone denunciation\u2014falling conspicuously short of what\u00a0Abu Dhabi\u00a0might expect\u00a0from\u00a0a close\u00a0strategic partner.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
At the same time,\u00a0Pakistan assumed an active\u00a0mediatory role,\u00a0with its civilian and military\u00a0leadership conducting\u00a0intensive\u00a0shuttle diplomacy with Tehran. While\u00a0maintaining\u00a0functional\u00a0relations with Iran is a strategic necessity for Pakistan, those ties have historically been<\/span>\u00a0less\u00a0significant\u00a0than its relations with the UAE<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Given this disparity,<\/span>\u00a0the spectacle of Pakistani leaders extending exceptional hospitality to Iranian delegates,\u00a0<\/span>at a time when Iran was\u00a0directly threatening Emirati\u00a0interests,<\/span>\u00a0was\u00a0likely\u00a0to\u00a0have been poorly received in Abu Dhabi.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Former Pakistani ambassador to the United\u00a0States\u00a0<\/span>Hussain Haqqani<\/span><\/a>\u00a0captured this dynamic when he remarked that\u00a0\u201cthe UAE was shocked that Pakistan did not support them against Iran, and Pakistan was shocked that the UAE was shocked.\u201d\u00a0Yet\u00a0such assessments\u00a0remain largely speculative.\u00a0Publicly available\u00a0evidence\u00a0indicates that\u00a0the UAE refrained from\u00a0criticizing Pakistan\u2019s position, and neither government\u00a0issued statements\u00a0expressing concern over\u00a0the\u00a0other\u2019s policies.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Repayment of loans<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong>
Against the backdrop,\u00a0Pakistan’s repayment of\u00a0$3.5 billion\u00a0in UAE loans was portrayed\u00a0as\u00a0<\/span>yet<\/span>\u00a0another sign of strain. Media outlets speculated\u00a0that\u00a0the repayment\u00a0was linked\u00a0to the UAE’s purported unhappiness\u00a0with\u00a0Pakistan’s lackluster response. A\u00a0<\/span>report<\/span><\/a>\u00a0claimed the UAE sought repayment days before Pakistan helped secure a ceasefire in the Iran\u00a0war,\u00a0and\u00a0sensationalized\u00a0it by\u00a0stressing\u00a0that the repayment\u00a0constituted 21 percent of Pakistan’s\u00a0total\u00a0foreign exchange reserves.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
These\u00a0interpretations\u00a0were\u00a0<\/span>wide of the mark<\/span>\u00a0and contrary to official positions.<\/span>\u00a0In reality,<\/span>\u00a0the\u00a0UAE loans were long overdue. In 2018, Abu Dhabi had deposited\u00a0$3 billion\u00a0into the State Bank of Pakistan to support its balance-of-payments position. It rolled over the deposit several times before both countries\u00a0mutually\u00a0agreed on\u00a0a\u00a0final repayment in January 2026.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Pakistan\u2019s\u00a0Foreign Office<\/span><\/a>\u00a0dismissed claims of political motive\u00a0as “misleading and unfounded,” clarifying that the loans were\u00a0repaid\u00a0upon maturity.\u00a0It also\u00a0reaffirmed\u00a0bilateral ties, describing the relationship as a\u00a0\u201clongstanding, fraternal partnership built on trust and strategic cooperation across trade, investment, defense and people-to-people ties.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Deportations Related to Security Threats<\/i><\/strong>
Perceptions of a rift were further amplified by\u00a0the deportation of Pakistani\u00a0nationals\u00a0from the UAE\u00a0after the start of the war.\u00a0Following the April 2026 uncovering of\u00a0an alleged\u00a0terrorist network, the UAE launched a nationwide crackdown, deporting thousands of workers, many of them Pakistani Shiite Muslims.\u00a0Media\u00a0coverage frequently presented the measures as\u00a0<\/span>evidence of worsening<\/span><\/a>\u00a0bilateral relations.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
In reality, the\u00a0deportation of\u00a0more than\u00a07,500 expatriates represented\u00a0only\u00a0a fraction of the approximately two million Pakistanis living and working\u00a0in the UAE. Abu Dhabi took these measures in the wake of a terror plot, which was\u00a0<\/span>widely condemned<\/span><\/a>. The measures were consistent with contemporary practices that states adopt\u00a0to ensure their\u00a0security.\u00a0For instance,\u00a0Pakistan had recently deported thousands of refugees on similar security grounds.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Crucially,\u00a0both\u00a0Pakistan\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Interior Ministry<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Foreign Office<\/span><\/a>\u00a0defended the UAE\u2019s\u00a0deportations\u00a0as\u00a0routine administrative actions\u00a0driven by immigration violations and legal infractions, rejecting\u00a0claims\u00a0that they targeted any specific nationality or sectarian group.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
The Risk of Not Addressing False Narratives<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>
The\u00a0narrative of\u00a0a cooling UAE-Pakistan relationship\u00a0rests largely on\u00a0<\/span>selective reporting, decontextualized\u00a0events, and\u00a0the\u00a0absence of authoritative\u00a0public\u00a0commentary.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Neither government has indicated that the partnership faces\u00a0fundamental challenges.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Abu Dhabi\u00a0<\/span>chose not to publicly\u00a0criticize<\/span>\u00a0on Pakistan’s\u00a0mutual defense pact with Saudi Arabia or its\u00a0<\/span>measured response to Iranian strikes\u00a0on the Gulf, while Islamabad repeatedly rejected claims of a diplomatic rupture<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0reaffirmed\u00a0the strategic nature of the relationship.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
Nevertheless, perceptions matter. The persistence of narratives portraying bilateral ties as strained\u00a0carries\u00a0risks of\u00a0its own. Both\u00a0governments would be well served to examine\u00a0why such perceptions gained traction\u00a0despite\u00a0continued\u00a0bilateral\u00a0cooperation across political, economic, and security domains. Left unaddressed, a manufactured narrative can gradually acquire the force of\u00a0reality.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
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Copyright \u00a9 2026 , ME Council
Copyright \u00a9 2026, ME Council.<\/p>\n