PM arrives in Doha amid regional tensions

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to meet the Amir of Qatar, 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, US-Iran standoff and other pressing regional developments.

This marks the third visit of the prime minister to Qatar in the last five months, underlining the growing strategic importance of ties between Islamabad and Doha. The prime minister had travelled to Doha twice in September - first to express solidarity with Qatar following Israeli strikes, and later to attend the Arab-Islamic summit hosted in the Qatari capital.

The latest trip comes against the backdrop of a series of significant regional developments, particularly 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, Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi. Pakistan's 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 is accompanying the prime minister, along with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi. According to the Foreign Office, the visit reflects the deep-rooted fraternal ties between the two countries and underscores their shared 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 terrorist hideouts responsible for a string of deadly attacks on Pakistani soil. The strikes followed a series of suicide bombings, further straining already fragile ties between Islamabad and Kabul.

Sources said the prime minister will brief the Qatari leadership about the latest situation, particularly Pakistan's concerns regarding the use of Afghan territory by militant groups to launch attacks across the border. Islamabad has long maintained that banned outfits have found sanctuaries inside Afghanistan.

Qatar has previously played a quiet but significant mediatory role between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Doha had facilitated backchannel contacts and helped broker a ceasefire at a critical juncture. However, a comprehensive agreement addressing Pakistan's longstanding security concerns remained elusive.

Diplomatic sources believe Islamabad is keen to once again leverage Qatar's good offices, given its close ties with various stakeholders in Afghanistan and its established role as a regional mediator. The other key issue likely to figure prominently in the talks is the Gaza peace plan and proposals for an international stabilisation force.

Pakistan and Qatar are part of an eight-nation Muslim bloc that backed former US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace initiative and joined the "Board of Peace", a platform aimed at coordinating diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire and post-conflict reconstruction.

With the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepening and ceasefire efforts facing hurdles, both Islamabad and Doha are expected to exchange views on the next phase of diplomatic engagement and broader Muslim world coordination.

The brewing tensions between Iran and the United States are also expected to come under discussion. Qatar and Pakistan, along with other regional countries, have been engaged in quiet diplomacy to dissuade Washington from launching strikes against Tehran amid rising hostilities.

Officials said both countries view any escalation involving Iran as deeply destabilising for the wider 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 politics, the two sides are expected to explore new avenues of cooperation in trade, investment, energy and infrastructure development.

The Foreign Office said the visit would provide an opportunity for both leaderships 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.