Qatar And Pakistan: Rock-Solid Historic Relations, Promising Future For Advancing Partnership

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) QNA

Within the framework of strengthening the rock-solid and historic relationship between the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Prime Minister of Pakistan H E Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will embark on an official visit to Doha to underscore the two countries unwavering commitment to reinforcing bilateral cooperation in multiple fields, along with the commitment of Doha and Islamabad to deepening the partnership and supporting stability in the region.

The Qatar-Pakistan relationship dates back over half a century and has undergone three key phases. The first phase, from the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1973 until 1999, involved both nations striving to explore potential cooperation opportunities across various fields.

The visit of the Father Amir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani to Pakistan in 1999 marked the second phase of the bilateral relationship, laying the groundwork for bolstering ties between the two countries. During the visit, agreements on economic and political cooperation between Doha and Islamabad were inked.

The third phase was marked by the successful and productive visit of the Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to Pakistan in March 2015. This visit strengthened the bilateral relationship and propelled it into full gear, opening new prospects in the areas of economy and energy.

The Qatari-Pakistani relations are currently the best since the last visit of H H the Amir to Islamabad in June 2019, which ushered in a new era of an extraordinary phase in their bilateral relationship. The visit lent a new impetus to this relationship by signing numerous agreements to reinforce the existing cooperation in all fields, particularly the economic, political, social and military areas. Relations between the two countries have been strengthened by numerous mutual visits made by senior officials and businessmen from both nations, which have clearly boosted cooperation across multiple fields and expanded prospects for collaboration to achieve shared interests.

In August 2022, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan H E Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif paid an official visit to the State of Qatar. The Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani met with him and held an official session of talks during which they discussed bilateral relationship between the two countries and avenues for enhancing it in the areas of defense, economy, investment, trade exchange, energy and sports, in addition to the regional and global developments of shared interest, particularly the two countries efforts to combat terrorism.

Since the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two nations, they have been committed to enhancing bilateral cooperation in a range of fields through signing a phalanx of agreements and memoranda of understanding to foster partnership in a wide diversity of sectors.

These agreements and memoranda of understanding signed between Doha and Islamabad cover many political, economic, and trade areas, as well as cultural, scientific, artistic, educational, health, security, and legal fields. They include sectors such as education, media, sports, endowments and Islamic affairs, tourism, and meteorology. They stipulate the shared protection of investments, measures to avoid tax evasion, organization of exhibitions, utilization of Qatari workforces, and cooperation in exchanging financial investigations related to money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

Thanks to the deep-rooted ties between the two countries, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is one of the most significant trade partners for the State of Qatar, with the volume of trade exchange reaching QR12.8 billion in 2023. Additionally, there are seven firms that invest in Qatar with 100% Pakistani capital. Following his visit to Pakistan in 2019, the Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani directed to support the Pakistani economy through new investments in the form of deposits and direct investments amounting to $3 billion, underscoring the depth of relations between the two countries.

The long-term agreement signed between the two countries in 2021, which stipulates the supply of up to 3 million tons of liquefied natural gas annually from the State of Qatar to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, has played a role in elevating the volume of trade exchange between the two nations.

The commodities and products Pakistan exports to Qatar, such as rice, leather, spinning and weaving, cotton and woven fabrics, and meats, along with key items imported by Pakistan from the State of Qatar, such as oil, gas, plastics, organic chemicals, and iron, which enhance the trade exchange process, have strikingly played a role in reinforcing trade exchange.

Investment between the two countries represents a core pillar of the cooperation, since the shared investment is centered on five sectors, such as banking and insurance, as well as services including tourism, information and communication technology, oil and gas, in addition to real estate, construction machinery, and technical services industries. In 2022, the State of Qatar provided emergency relief aid to the flood-stricken people of Pakistan, underscoring its unwavering commitment to supporting brotherly and friendly countries in times of crisis. This stance stems from Qatars civilizational, cultural, and Islamic values, which drive its efforts to assist people afflicted by disasters around the world.

The Qatari support has not been exclusively devoted to providing food assistance and shelter, it has extended far beyond to include effective engagement in supporting the health sector to address the fallout from the disaster and to enhance rescue operations with essential equipment and professional personnel.

Qatar is implementing 40% of a residential village for the flood-stricken people in Naseerabad, in the Balochistan region of Pakistan. The project is slated to be fully accomplished in March 2025, which provides safe residential structures for 125 families affected by the rain-triggered flash floods. Naseerabad was selected to build the residential village, because it was the most affected area from the flash floods that engulfed Balochistan region.

Moreover, Qatar has constructed several homes in Khairpur area in Sindh district in Pakistan for the families affected by the flash floods that struck the country.

The Living and Livelihood Fund, founded by the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) alongside the Islamic Development Bank and other donors, funded the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme in 2016, which was spearheaded by Qatar between 2019 and 2020. The programme aimed to help the Pakistani government reduce the number of polio cases among children under five, with the project budget reaching $570 million.

Given the increasing significance of the trade and economic partnership between the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the official visit of the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Doha represents a vital opportunity to reiterate the commitments and cementing the economic ties, thereby underscoring the shared perspectives of the two sides toward a more prosperous and enduring future.

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