UAE business magnate for expanding trade, investment cooperation

Suhail Muhammad Al Zarooni, a United Arab Emirates businessman and chairman of Al Zarooni Group, has urged wider trade and investment ties between Pakistan and the UAE, according to Business Recorder. Speaking while in Pakistan, he argued that both countries still have large unused opportunities in sectors ranging from commerce and manufacturing to property, digital services, shipping and tourism. He proposed joint initiatives, easier business-to-business links and simpler investment procedures as ways to lift bilateral trade and encourage joint ventures.

He also called for a focused tourism plan aimed at Gulf visitors, with better visa processing, tourism infrastructure and visitor services as priorities. Looking back to the 1980s, he noted that Gulf travellers who bought property and spent across the economy had once supported local businesses, jobs and consumer spending. He urged the government to draw up a plan for the Gulf market to bring that lost opportunity back.

Describing Pakistan's natural and cultural heritage, he presented the country as a draw for Emirati tourists and investors, pointing to its mountains, valleys, coastline and historic sites. He asked both governments to lift bilateral relations to new levels through mutual trust and respect. He also reaffirmed his commitment to the Pakistani community in the UAE and to philanthropic projects in Pakistan.