Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has arrived in Dubai to meet the management of the UAE telecom company Etisalat.
According to sources, the purpose of the official visit is to resolve the long-standing dispute over the withholding of around 799 million dollars linked to the incomplete privatization of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL). A statement issued by the Foreign Office confirmed that Ishaq Dar arrived in Dubai from Davos, Switzerland, on an official visit, during which he will hold key meetings, including with Etisalat’s management.
Analysts say Ishaq Dar’s visit to the United Arab Emirates is taking place at a sensitive time, as the Middle East is going through a critical phase. Pakistan, the UAE, and several other countries have decided to join the Gaza Board of Peace at the invitation of US President Donald Trump. The visit is being described as highly significant, as it comes amid reports of rising tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. However, the Foreign Office statement did not provide details of any meetings between Ishaq Dar and senior UAE ministers or top government officials.
In 2006, Pakistan privatized PTCL by selling 26 percent of its shares and management control to Etisalat International Pakistan for 2.6 billion dollars. While the deal was initially praised as a major reform milestone, it became entangled in a prolonged dispute over the transfer of properties, due to which Etisalat has withheld nearly 800 million dollars.
The Pakistani government has long faced allegations that it failed to transfer PTCL properties to the UAE company in line with the terms of the 2006 agreement. Despite repeated efforts, the dispute remains unresolved. Reports in 2025 indicate that fresh in-camera (confidential) negotiations are underway to address unresolved property transfer issues. According to officials, Pakistan maintains its earlier decision not to pursue legal action to resolve the 16-year-old dispute.
