ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday visited Doha where he met Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and offered his condolences over the death of the latter’s father and former emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Sharif’s office said.
Sheikh Hamad, who served as Qatar’s emir from 1995 to 2013 before handing power to his son, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, is widely credited with transforming Qatar into a major regional and global diplomatic and economic power through rapid development and an activist foreign policy.
Qatar is one of Pakistan’s closest partners in the Gulf, hosting hundreds of thousands of Pakistani workers and maintaining close cooperation with Islamabad in energy, investment and regional diplomacy. Most recently, Doha and Islamabad have coordinated diplomatic efforts linked to regional stability, including engagement surrounding tensions between the United States and Iran.
In Doha, PM Sharif was accompanied by his elder brother and former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and other senior Pakistani officials, according to Sharif’s office.
“The Prime Minister and Pakistan delegation called on His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and conveyed heartfelt condolences at the sad demise of the Father Amir,” Sharif’s office said.
“He paid rich tribute to the late Father Amir’s visionary leadership, statesmanship, and enduring contributions to Qatar’s remarkable transformation as well as to regional peace, stability, and development.”
The Pakistan prime minister recalled the late emir’s abiding affection for Pakistan, and reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with the leadership and people of Qatar during this period of profound grief.
“His Highness the Amir thanked the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and the delegation for the special gesture of traveling to Doha to personally offer condolences, describing it as a reflection of the deep-rooted fraternal bonds between the two brotherly countries and peoples,” Sharif’s office said.
Separately, Pakistan on Sunday declared July 13 national day of mourning “in expression of fraternal solidarity” with Qatar over Sheikh Hamad’s death.
A notification issued by the cabinet division said national flags would fly at half-mast across the country on Monday.
