DUBAI, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan congratulated on Saturday Imran Khan as Pakistan's new prime minister, UAE state news agency WAM reported.

UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, also sent similar congratulations to Imran Khan.

The cricketer-turned-politician was sworn in as the 22nd prime minister of Pakistan on Saturday morning. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or Movement for Justice, emerged as the single largest party in the July 25 parliamentary elections.

According to local UAE media, over 1.5 million Pakistani expatriates call the Gulf Arab state their residence country.