Prime Minister to hold bilateral meeting with Amir covering entire spectrum of relations
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to meet Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday (today) with a wide-ranging agenda that includes the latest escalation in tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Gaza peace plan, the US-Iran standoff and other pressing regional developments.
This is the Prime Minister’s third visit to Qatar in the last five months, highlighting the growing strategic importance of ties between Islamabad and Doha. The prime minister visited Doha twice in September – first to express solidarity with Qatar following the Israeli strikes, and then to attend the Arab-Islamic summit in the Qatari capital.
This latest trip comes against the backdrop of a series of significant regional developments, notably on Pakistan’s western border.
Prime Minister Shehbaz arrived in Doha on Monday for a two-day official visit at the invitation of the Amir. He was received at Hamad International Airport by Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi. Pakistan Ambassador to Qatar Muhammad Aamer and senior diplomatic officials were also present to welcome the visiting delegation.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar accompanies the Prime Minister, alongside Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this visit reflects the deep-rooted fraternal ties between the two countries and underlines their common commitment to strengthening multifaceted cooperation.
During his stay, the Prime Minister will hold a bilateral meeting with the Amir covering the entire spectrum of relations, including political engagement, economic collaboration, energy partnership and people-to-people exchanges. However, officials said regional security issues would dominate the discussions.
The prime minister’s visit comes just days after Pakistan carried out cross-border strikes inside Afghanistan, targeting the hideouts of terrorists responsible for a series of deadly attacks on Pakistani soil. The strikes followed a series of suicide attacks, further straining the already fragile ties between Islamabad and Kabul.
Sources said the prime minister would brief Qatari leaders on the latest situation, particularly Pakistan’s concerns over the use of Afghan territory by militant groups to launch attacks across the border. Islamabad has long maintained that banned outfits have found refuge in Afghanistan.
Qatar previously played a quiet but important mediating role between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Doha facilitated indirect contacts and helped negotiate a ceasefire at a critical time. However, a comprehensive agreement addressing Pakistan’s long-standing security concerns remains elusive.
Diplomatic sources believe that Islamabad is keen to take advantage of Qatar’s good offices once again, given its close ties with various stakeholders in Afghanistan and its established role as a regional mediator. The other key issue likely to feature prominently in the negotiations is the Gaza peace plan and proposals for an international stabilization force.
Pakistan and Qatar are part of an eight-nation Muslim bloc that supported former US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace initiative and joined the “Peace Council”, a platform aimed at coordinating diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire and post-conflict reconstruction.
As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens and ceasefire efforts face obstacles, Islamabad and Doha are expected to exchange views on the next phase of the Muslim world’s diplomatic engagement and broader coordination.
Latent tensions between Iran and the United States should also be discussed. Qatar and Pakistan, along with other countries in the region, have engaged in discreet diplomacy to dissuade Washington from launching strikes against Tehran amid escalating hostilities.
The officials said both countries view any escalation involving Iran as deeply destabilizing for the entire region, particularly the Gulf, where millions of Pakistani expatriates live and work.
Maintaining regional stability remains a shared priority for Islamabad and Doha.
Beyond regional policy, the two sides are expected to explore new avenues of cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, energy and infrastructure development.
The Foreign Ministry said the visit would provide an opportunity for the two leaders to exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest, reaffirming their resolve to work closely for peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
