ISLAMABAD, Nov 7: The Joint Ministerial Commission of Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates set up a committee on Thursday to remove `irritants` in bilateral ties.Prime Minister`s Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said after signing the minutes of the lith session of the commission along with UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed AlNahyan that consular matters were among the irritants identified.

The UAE minister talked of `having crossed many hurdles` in the ties.

The UAE has become Pakistan`s largest tradingpartner with annual bilateral trade reaching $10 billion.

Mr Aziz said that `tangible economic gains` had set the stage for expanding the relationship.

Mr Nahyan said the UAEPakistan ties were not just about trade and were quite diverse.

He said trade figures did not excite him much because the `ambition and potential` was much higher.

The two countries agreed to set up a joint business council for direct business contacts.

Focal persons were appointed for cooperation in the shipping sector and an MoU was signed between the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan and Securities and Commodities Authority of the UAE.

The UAE minister later met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Mamnoon Hussain.

The president called for an early conclusion of a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council.