News Desk |
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday, 21st January embarked on a two-day visit to Qatar at the invitation of the country’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. The PM is accompanied by Federal Minister for Petroleum Chaudhry Ghulam Sarwar Khan and Finance Minister Asad Umar.
The premier is expected to hold meetings with the Qatari emir and prime minister to discuss matters of mutual interest. According to a local publication, the Prime Minister will also discuss the matter of exporting labour to Qatar.
Finance Minister Asad Umar and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi have already visited Doha one after another in recent weeks and are understood to have put the matter on the table, according to Sarwar.
In December last year, Qatar had opened a visa facilitation center in Islamabad for swift processing of visas of members of the Pakistan workforce wishing to work in Qatar. Doha has also promised 100,000 jobs for Pakistani workers, and the government is in talks with the Qatari government to adjust skilled members of the labour force returning from Saudi Arabia.
Last week, the Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan had also said that the prime minister “may request the Qatar government to provide a credit facility for LNG supplies and revise the prices” during his visit to Doha. Finance Minister Asad Umar and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi have already visited Doha one after another in recent weeks and are understood to have put the matter on the table, according to Sarwar. He had also made similar statements on Doctor Moeed Pirzada’s prime-time show “Live With Moeed Pirzada”.
Qatar, on the other hand, is preparing to receive Prime Minister Imran Khan who will reach the Gulf state today on a two-day visit. The roads of capital city Doha were filled with the flags of Pakistan and Qatar to give a warm welcome to Pakistani premier.
Read more: Will Imran’s Gulf Yatra means serious compromises?
The PM will pay a two-day visit to Qatar from today on the invitation of Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hammad Al Thani. Foreign Office Spokesman Dr. Muhammad Faisal said the PM will call on Amir of Qatar and hold a meeting with his Qatari counterpart to discuss issues of mutual interest. The Prime Minister will also discuss the issue of exporting Pakistani manpower to Qatar, he added.