Pakistan, Qatar ink three MoUs

PM Imran Khan discusses bilateral ties with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Qatar on Saturday signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on trade, investment, tourism and financial intelligence as Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani arrived in Islamabad on a two-day official visit.

The Qatari emir along with a high-level delegation landed at Rawalpindi’s Noor Khan Airbase, where a red carpet was rolled out for him. Prime Minister Imran Khan and senior ministers of his cabinet received him.

At the Prime Minister House, an official welcome ceremony took place, during which personnel of all three services presented the Qatari ruler a guard of honour. The distinguished guest was also given a 21-gun salute upon his arrival. A JF-17 squadron of PAF saluted the guest in a magnificent fly past.

Following a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan in which bilateral relations were discussed, delegation-level talks were also held between the officials of the two countries During a ceremony, Adviser to PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood and Qatari Finance Minister Ali Shareef Al Emadi signed the MoU for establishment of Pakistan-Qatar joint working group on trade and investment.

Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination Dr Fahmida Mirza and Secretary General of Qatar National Tourism Council Akbar Al Baker agreed on cooperation in the fields of tourism and business events.

The third MoU relates to cooperation in the field of exchange of financial intelligence, anti-money laundering and checking terror financing.

Other engagements

Al Thani also planted a sapling in the lawn of the PM House.

A post on the prime minister’s official Instagram account showed the premier signing a cricket bat for the visiting dignitary.

The Qatari leader, in turn, presented a sports jersey to PM Imran.

Qureshi meets counterpart

Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani, who reached Islamabad hours before the Qatari emir’s arrival met Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

Both the leaders discussed bilateral relations. Qureshi said more than 125,000 Pakistanis living in Qatar are playing their part in the development of the Gulf country.

He expressed the hope that the visit of the Qatari emir would open new vistas of trade between the two countries and investment will increase. Qatar’s foreign minister also expressed interest to invest in various sectors in Pakistan.

He said his country is interested in attracting more than 100,000 people from Pakistan as workforce for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The emir will also hold talks with President Arif Alvi to “discuss ways and means of building a robust and mutually beneficial economic partnership”.

In a statement earlier this week, PM Imran stated that the Qatari emir would announce an investment of $22 billion for Pakistan.

“This comes as a second major investment in the country after the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had announced to invest $21 billion in Pakistan in three phases under its investment plan,” the Instagram post read. Al Thani had earlier visited Pakistan in March 2015.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2019.