ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Doha on an official visit from Oct. 30-31 to discuss bilateral ties with a special focus on trade and investment, the premier’s office said on Wednesday.
In 2022, the Qatar Investment Authority said it aimed to invest $3 billion in Pakistan, lending support to the South Asian nation’s cash-strapped economy. Doha has also shown interest in airport management partnership and the Roosevelt Hotel in New York’s Manhattan owned by the Pakistan International Airlines.
During a visit to Qatar in 2022, Sharif, then in his first term as PM, invited QIA, Qatar’s $450 billion sovereign wealth fund, to invest in Pakistan’s energy and aviation sectors. He had previously mentioned renewable energy, food security, industrial and infrastructure development, tourism and hospitality, among sectors of interest.
“During this visit, I look forward to prooductive excahnge of views with the Qatari leadership to further enhance our brotherly relations,” Sharif said on X after arriving in Doha. “I will also inaugurate a special exhibition at Qatar Museum highlighting the cultural heritage of Pakistan.”
The foreign office said in a statement Sharif would hold bilateral meetings with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, and Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs.
“In these meetings, the two sides will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and explore new of cooperation especially in trade and investment.”
Delegations from the Qatar Investment Authority and Qatar Businessmen Association would also call on Sharif to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan, the foreign office added.
Sharif will also inaugurate the cultural exhibition, “Manzar: Art and Architecture in Pakistan from 1940 to Present,” on October 31.
“The exhibition will showcase Pakistan’s rich cultural and architectural heritage and underline deep people-to-people linkages between Pakistan and Qatar,” the foreign office said.
