(MENAFN- IANS) Islamabad, Dec 7 (IANS) The ties between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates have been increasingly marred by deep-rooted inconsistencies and mistrust, majorly due to Islamabad's erratic diplomatic behaviour and strategic miscalculations, as per a report.

Pakistan's faltering stance on key regional matters increasingly marks it as an unreliable and precarious partner in the UAE's strategic calculus, an Al Arabiya Post report said.

"The relationship between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, despite decades of formal ties and shared religious and cultural affinities, has been increasingly marred by deep-rooted inconsistencies and mistrust, largely driven by Pakistan's erratic diplomatic conduct and strategic miscalculations. While the UAE has evolved into a pragmatic and forward-looking global player focused on economic diversification and regional stability, Pakistan has repeatedly demonstrated itself as an unreliable partner, weighed down by ideological rigidity and domestic political compulsions that clash with the emirate's interests."

"This fundamental imbalance has exposed significant fault lines, turning what should have been a natural alliance into a relationship fraught with suspicion, economic reticence, and diplomatic friction that now threatens the foundation of their bilateral engagement. Pakistan's image as an unreliable partner to the UAE largely stems from its ambivalent geopolitical stance and domestic policy contradictions, which have repeatedly undermined mutual trust. Unlike the UAE's consistent pragmatism prioritising economic growth and strategic neutrality, Pakistan's diplomatic approach has been erratic, often driven by domestic populist pressures and ideological commitments incompatible with the UAE's more tolerant, secular governance model," it added.

Economic fault lines further increase Pakistan's unreliability in the UAE's eyes. Although Pakistan heavily relies on remittances from the Pakistanis in the UAE, however, the latter has responded to political disagreements by stricter visa rules, complicating the renewal of resident permits, and temporarily halting the issuance of new visas for people of Pakistan, according to the report. These decisions of the UAE showcase its frustration with Pakistan's diplomatic decisions and public criticisms.

Trade ties between the two nations also showcase unbalanced expectations and faltering trust. Even though bilateral trade between Pakistan and the UAE reached $10.9 billion in 2023-24, however, Pakistani sources have revealed the UAE's withdrawal of $1 million in investments in late 2025, indicating investor wariness in Pakistan.

"Moreover, Pakistan's military and strategic engagements with the Gulf, while significant, have not translated into an unwavering partnership with the UAE. The UAE values Pakistan's military expertise but balances it carefully within its broader strategic posture that increasingly aligns with multipolar regional security arrangements. Pakistan's failure to fully integrate into these security frameworks, compounded by its diplomatic missteps, risks relegating it to a transactional role rather than a trusted strategic partner.​"

"The fault lines within Pakistan-UAE relations underscore Pakistan's inconsistent diplomacy, ideological rigidity, and inability to adapt to strategic realities vis-à-vis the Gulf. While the countries remain connected by trade, remittances, and cultural ties, Pakistan's unreliability manifests in its confrontational stance on contentious political issues and failure to accommodate the UAE's pragmatic approach. In an era where Gulf diplomacy demands consistency, pragmatism, and economic vision, Pakistan's faltering positions on key regional matters increasingly mark it as an unreliable and precarious partner in the UAE's strategic calculus," the Al Arabiya Post report added.

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