DOHA: President of Pakistan, Mamnoon Hussain is arriving in Doha on October 22 on a two-day visit in which he will hold talks with the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Apart from a high-level meeting with the Emir, President Mamnoon Hussain will also meet Qatari businessmen and investors.
“He is likely to have interactive sessions with Pakistani community and businessmen as well,” said a source in the embassy of Pakistan seeking not to be attributed.
The official said that President Mamnoon (pictured) was visiting Qatar at the invitation of the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. “The forthcoming visit of Pakistan’s head of state will further strengthen diplomatic and economic relations between two Islamic states,” the official added.
The official said that the details about the schedule of President’s two-day visit were just being finalized. “The details of other official engagements will be finalized in a day or two. Either any cabinet minister from Pakistan will be accompanying the President or not is yet unclear,” he said, adding that usually ministers accompanied the delegation when they had to sign some agreement or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Few days ago two private companies from Pakistan and Qatar signed a 20-year Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) agreement. Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources of Pakistan, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, in an exclusive follow-up interview with The Peninsula, had lauded the deal further saying “Qatar has already shown tremendous commitment to Pakistan. I think cooperation between Pakistan and Qatar will increase with time, in all fields.”
When the embassy official was asked that the signing of any agreement or MoU between the two countries was on cards, the official replied that he was unaware of any such possibility. The source further said that during Pakistan President’s visit, two governments will discuss ways of enhancing bilateral relations in fields of energy, trade, manpower and investment. Talking to The Peninsula from Islamabad, Rao Liaqat Press Secretary to the President of Pakistan said that the President was set to visit Qatar “but the detailed agenda I will be able to share after few days.”
