President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday met Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Doha and offered to expand bilateral cooperation in the areas of defense and defense production between Pakistan and Qatar, according to a statement issued by the Presidency.
According to the statement, the Qatari emir “responded positively” to the offer and said he would instruct the relevant authorities to initiate talks with Pakistan in this regard immediately.
The bilateral meeting was held on the sidelines of the Second World Summit for Social Development, which will be held in Doha, the capital of Qatar, from November 4 to 6. President Zardari will represent Pakistan at the meeting.
The Presidency statement states that the Qatari leader also “expressed satisfaction with the recent defense agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” signed in September.
“It was a welcome and timely step that should have happened sooner,” al-Thani was quoted as saying in the statement. He also highlighted Pakistan’s “unique position as a country that maintains strategic ties with China, the West and the Gulf States at the same time.”
On the issue of recent clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Qatari emir expressed “hope that Pakistan and Afghanistan will resolve their current problems and overcome recent challenges.”
Qatar is one of two mediators in talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban, which were held in Doha and Istanbul following border clashes between the two sides last month. Another round of talks between them will begin tomorrow (November 6) in the Turkish capital.
According to the Presidency statement, al-Thani told Zardari that “Qatar is proud of Pakistan and its achievements, and deeply values the contribution of the Pakistani community to the development of Qatar.”
He expressed the hope that their number would “increase significantly” in the coming years, according to the statement.
For his part, President Zardari conveyed “warm greetings and best wishes” from the government and people of Pakistan to the Emir of Qatar, expressing “deep admiration for Qatar’s remarkable progress and visionary leadership.”
Furthermore, the statement said that President Zardari also “proposed to improve cooperation in agriculture and food security” during the meeting. He also welcomed increased Qatari investment in Pakistan and expressed confidence that bilateral collaboration will continue to grow between the two nations.
He praised Qatar’s growing global role as a “center of dialogue and humanitarian diplomacy and paid tribute to its leadership in advocating for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza.”
Reaffirming Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the Gulf nation, he highlighted Islamabad’s “strong condemnation” of Israel’s aggression against Qatar and its continued diplomatic support for Qatar’s sovereignty in international forums.
The president welcomed increased Qatari investment in Pakistan and expressed confidence that bilateral collaboration will continue to grow between the two countries under the leadership of the Qatari emir, the statement said.
The president “also praised the contributions of the Qatar Fund for Development, the Education Above All Foundation and other humanitarian initiatives in Qatar, paying special tribute to Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani for promoting education and cultural exchange,” the statement read.
He added that President Zardari further appreciated Qatar’s role as host and facilitator of the UN-led Doha Process meetings on Afghanistan, including the first and second rounds held in May 2023 and February 2024, which have supported international coordination on humanitarian, development and security issues.
He invited the emir of Qatar to Pakistan to further strengthen “the partnership with Qatar for regional peace, progress and shared prosperity”, the statement said, adding that the Qatari leader said he would visit Pakistan early next year.
Both leaders also discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation in political, economic and cultural spheres, the statement said, adding that they “reaffirmed the historical and fraternal relations between Pakistan and Qatar, rooted in faith, mutual trust and shared aspirations for peace, prosperity and the advancement of the Muslim Ummah.”
Meeting with the Chinese vice president
Earlier, the President also met in the Qatari capital with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, who appreciated Pakistan’s efforts in fighting terrorism and promoting regional peace and stability, according to a separate statement issued by the Presidency.
According to the Presidency statement, during his meeting with the Chinese Vice President, Zardari recalled his recent visit to China and stated that Pakistan and China were “iron brothers and strategic cooperative partners at all times.”
“He thanked China for its consistent and unwavering support to Pakistan through all challenges, reaffirming that friendship with China remains the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy,” the statement said.
The president also praised “China’s continued partnership in the successful implementation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which has now entered its second phase of high-quality development,” he added.
For his part, according to the statement, Han Zheng appreciated “Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism and promote regional peace and stability” and reaffirmed the “enduring strength of friendship between Pakistan and China.”
The vice president also conveyed warm greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping.
He stressed that China “will continue to support Pakistan’s economic development in the second phase of CPEC, particularly in transportation and infrastructure, information technology, agriculture and vocational training.”
According to the statement, the two leaders “reaffirmed their determination to further deepen the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership based on mutual trust, respect and a shared vision for regional peace and prosperity.”
“They also agreed to continue close cooperation on issues of mutual interest in regional and international forums,” the statement added.
President Zardari was accompanied by MNA Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Qatar during the meeting.
