DUBAI: Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday condoled with the leadership and the people of the United Arab Emirates on the death of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai’s deputy ruler and the UAE’s long-serving finance minister.
Sheikh Hamdan, 75, was the brother of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum. He had been unwell for some months and had surgery abroad in October. The Dubai Media Office said funeral prayers would be restricted to family members due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Qureshi was deeply saddened to hear of the demise of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum,” the foreign office said in a statement. “The valuable services of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum in the development of UAE will always be remembered.”
Dubai announced 10 days of mourning with flags to be flown at half-mast and a closure of government institutions in the emirate for three days as of Thursday.
In 2008, Dubai’s ruler established the line of succession in the emirate by naming his son Hamdan, 38, as crown prince. His other son Maktoum is also a deputy ruler of Dubai.
Sheikh Hamdan had been the UAE’s finance minister since 1971.
