Qatari minister praises PM Shehbaz's visit in call with Ishaq Dar

Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, on Thursday, praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's visit to Doha during a call with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

Dar, who is currently in Saudi Arabia to participate in the Extraordinary Open-Ended Ministerial Meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Executive Committee, received the telephone call from Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the call, Minister Al-Khulaifi praised Prime Minister Shehbaz’s recent visit to Doha, highlighting its positive impact on Pakistan-Qatar relations. He expressed Qatar’s desire to elevate bilateral ties to new heights, a sentiment warmly reciprocated by Dar.

Dar also extended his gratitude to the Qatari leadership for the warm reception and hospitality shown to Prime Minister Shehbaz and his delegation during their visit to Doha on February 23-24.

“The two leaders discussed a range of bilateral issues and exchanged views on regional and international matters of mutual interest. Both reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the brotherly ties between Pakistan and Qatar,” the statement added.

PM Shehbaz held a "warm and productive" meeting with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in Doha, with discussions spanning bilateral cooperation and the evolving regional situation.

The two leaders held detailed discussions on bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and international developments. They reaffirmed the strong fraternal ties between Pakistan and Qatar and expressed satisfaction over the growing momentum in political, economic and institutional engagement.

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The talks focused on enhancing cooperation in trade and investment, energy, defence, labour mobility and cultural collaboration. The two sides also agreed to activate a joint task force mandated to accelerate cooperation across these sectors.

Both countries emphasised the importance of implementing decisions taken during recent high-level engagements and institutional mechanisms, including the Joint Ministerial Commission and Bilateral Political Consultations, to ensure tangible progress.

Regional issues, including developments in Gaza and broader Gulf security dynamics, also came under discussion. The prime minister appreciated Qatar's constructive diplomatic efforts in promoting dialogue and de-escalation in the region.