ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Qatar today, Monday, for a two-day visit to the country during which both sides will explore new avenues of cooperation in trade, investment, energy and manpower export, the foreign ministry said in a statement. 

Sharif will visit Qatar from Feb. 23-24 at the invitation of Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the foreign office said. The Pakistani premier will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar as well as other ministers and senior officials. 

Sharif is expected to meet the Qatari amir during his visit and review bilateral ties, political engagement, economic collaboration, energy partnership and people-to-people exchanges, it added. 

“The two sides will also explore new avenues of cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade, investment, energy, infrastructure development and manpower export,” the statement said. 

The foreign office said Sharif’s visit will provide both leaderships an opportunity to exchange views on regional and global developments, reaffirming their resolve to work closely for peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

Pakistan enjoys robust trade and investment relations with Qatar. In 2022, the Qatari amir’s office said that the Qatar Investment Authority aims to invest $3 billion in Pakistan to support the South Asian nation’s cash-strapped economy. This investment would focus on Pakistan’s transport, civil aviation, education, health, culture, media, communications, information technology and labor sectors, the amir’s office said.

Qatar is also host to almost 300,000 Pakistanis, which is a large part of the country’s total population, according to Pakistan’s foreign office. Qatar employs a large number of Pakistanis in the health, education, engineering, finance and public service sectors. 

A large number of semi-skilled and unskilled Pakistani work force also dominate the construction and transport sectors of Qatar. Pakistan’s efforts to expand employment opportunities for its skilled labor in Qatar have led to both sides signing several memoranda of understanding and letters of intent over the years. 

The two nations also promote bilateral cooperation through several forums such as the Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC), Joint Ministerial Commission, Joint Business Council and Working Group on Trade & Investment.

Qatar was also instrumental in easing tensions by hosting talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in October last year, after both sides were involved in fierce border clashes that killed several and wounded dozens.