Private media reported that the Prime Minister will be visiting Qatar on January 22 where he will hold meetings with the Emir of Qatar as well as other dignitaries. Discussion during the meeting is likely to focus on bilateral relations, regional issues and LNG, besides possibility of signing of memoranda of understandings and agreements.
Sources said that Pakistan hopes that Qatar may accept its request to increase the employment opportunities for Pakistanis as Finance Minister Asad Umar, who recently visited Qatar, got very good response and his visit was followed by the visit of minister for foreign affairs.
However, on a possible request for supply of LNG on deferred payment to Pakistan, sources in the Finance Ministry expressed complete ignorance about any discussion on it and referred to relationship between Saudi Arabia and Qatar in this regard and stated that is seems quite impossible to win the support of both the sides.
The Prime Minister''s visit to Qatar would the first one, unlike the UAE and Saudi Arabia, since he assumed the office in August 2018. The Prime minister will also invite Qatari business community to take advantage from the investment opportunities in Pakistan. Qatar has already offered 100,000 jobs to Pakistanis and the present government wants the number to be increased to 150,000.
The Prime Minister will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar, and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistani Zulfiqar Bokhari.