Doha, October 31 (QNA) - Within the framework of strengthening the rock-solid and historic relationship between the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, HE Prime Minister of Pakistan 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 HH the Father Amir 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 HH the Amir 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 HH 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, HE Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif paid an official visit to the State of Qatar. HH the Amir 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. (MORE)