Some friendships are built through words, while others are tested through decades of shared experience. Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates belong to the second kind. For more than five decades, the two countries have stood beside each other through changing regional circumstances. Yet today, the question is no longer whether Pakistan and the UAE are friends. That has never really been in doubt. The real question is whether this enduring brotherhood can be transformed into a partnership that delivers greater prosperity, security and opportunity for both nations.

Pakistan’s connection with the UAE goes back to the early years of the federation. Pakistani officers, pilots, engineers, teachers and other professionals contributed to the development of the young state. By 1974, 115 Pakistani officers were serving in the Abu Dhabi Defence Force, while Pakistani officers also played a prominent role in the early UAE Air Force. Such contributions created a level of professional trust that cannot be established through diplomatic agreements alone.

But perhaps the strongest bridge between the two countries is made of people rather than institutions. Around 2.2 million Pakistanis live and work in the UAE, contributing to........

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