Prime Minister Sharif met with Amir of the State of Qatar

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met with His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, at the Diwan-e-Amiri, in Doha today. The Prime Minister was accompanied by a high-level delegation including Cabinet Ministers and senior members.

Upon arrival at the Diwan-e-Amiri, the Prime Minister was welcomed by His Highness the Amir in an official ceremony and presented a Guard of Honour. The two leaders then held delegation-level consultations, which were followed by a lunch banquet hosted by the Amir in the honour of the Prime Minister and his entourage.

During their extensive consultations, the two leaders exchanged views on bilateral, regional and international issues. They expressed satisfaction on the upward trajectory of Pakistan-Qatar relations and agreed to work together to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in all areas of mutual interest.

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The two sides agreed inter alia to strengthen institutional engagement to increase bilateral trade; deepen collaboration in the agriculture and food sectors; boost cooperation in the fields of energy; encourage and facilitate Qatar’s investments in Pakistan’s renewable energy, tourism and hospitality sectors; provide more opportunities to Pakistanis interested in working in Qatar; and expand cooperation in defence, aviation and maritime domains.

Lauding Qatar’s remarkable economic transformation, the Prime Minister congratulated the Qatari leadership for its visionary and forward-looking approach and wished the Qatari people more success in the future.

Recalling Pakistan’s long-term partnership with Qatar in the field of LNG cooperation, the Prime Minister thanked His Highness the Amir for Qatar’s vital support in meeting Pakistan’s energy needs. The two sides also explored new avenues for mutually beneficial cooperation in the energy sector.

The Prime Minister stressed that the Pakistanis working and residing in Qatar were not only a source of strength for the economic progress of both countries but also a testament to the value of people-to-people linkages. He hoped that Qatar’s rapid economic growth would present even greater opportunities for Pakistanis in the future.

The Prime Minister appreciated the extensive arrangements made by the Government of Qatar for hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022. He assured the Qatari leadership of Pakistan’s support for the successful organization of the mega event.

The Prime Minister and the Amir also exchanged views on the developments in the region. The Prime Minister appreciated Qatar for its long-standing and continuing efforts to promote peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. The two leaders agreed to work together to help address the grave humanitarian and economic crises confronting the Afghan people, stressing that the situation warranted the international community’s scaled up assistance.

The Prime Minister highlighted the grave human rights situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and underscored the importance of a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute for sustainable peace, security and prosperity in South Asia.

His Highness the Amir congratulated the Prime Minister on assumption of office and wished him full success. He also conveyed his best wishes for the continued progress and prosperity of the people of Pakistan.

The Amir reassured the Prime Minister of Qatar’s commitment to forge a stronger economic partnership with Pakistan. The Prime Minister thanked His Highness for the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA)’s readiness to invest US$ 3 billion in various commercial and investment sectors in Pakistan.

The Amir appreciated the important contribution of Pakistanis in the development Qatar, and shared Qatar’s resolve to provide enhanced employment opportunities for Pakistanis, in line with the Qatar Vision 2030.

The two leaders agreed on the importance of frequent high-level exchanges for maintaining the present momentum in bilateral cooperation. The Prime Minister extended a cordial invitation to His Highness the Amir to visit Pakistan at his earliest convenience.

Pakistan and Qatar enjoy long-standing, fraternal relations marked by shared faith, mutual trust, and close cooperation. This is the first visit of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to Qatar since assuming office in April 2022.