She was due to pay a visit to the UAE at the invitation of UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahiyan on her way to attending the Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC) summit in Makkah on December 7-8.

Officials, however, said the prime minister has postponed the UAE visit due to her preoccupation at home. "It's in no way linked with the incidents of bomb blasts," said a high official of the foreign ministry.

They said a new tour schedule is being worked out through diplomatic channels so that the prime minister could visit the UAE and several other Gulf countries in near future.

However, a reliable source at the prime minister's office (PMO) said, though the PM's visit to Makkah remains unchanged, it still depends on the situation of the country.