Pakistan–Qatar relations refer to the bilateral links between the
Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the
State of Qatar. Pakistan has an embassy in
Doha; Qatar maintains an embassy in
Islamabad and a consulate-general in
Karachi. Relations between the two are shaped by Pakistan's generally
close relations with the Arab world. Like other nearby gulf states, there is a large
Pakistani community in Qatar which numbers over 150 000. They work in diverse fields and send remittances each year.
During the
2010 Pakistan floods
The floods in Pakistan began in late July 2010, resulting from heavy monsoon rains in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab and, Balochistan regions of Pakistan, which affected the Indus River basin. Approximately one-fifth of Pakistan's tot ...
, Qatar provided timely assistance to the country. After the British left, Pakistan originally called for the territory to be merged into with the
Trucial States of the United Arab Emirates, with which it had recognized in the same year despite this however diplomatic relations between the two were established.
Economic relations
A deal was signed by the two countries' governments in December 2015 in which Qatar agreed to supply Pakistan with $16 billion of
LNG
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas (predominantly methane, CH4, with some mixture of ethane, C2H6) that has been cooled down to liquid form for ease and safety of non-pressurized storage or transport. It takes up about 1/600th the volu ...
over a lengthy period.
Despite the ongoing
economic and diplomatic embargo imposed on Qatar, its trade relations with Pakistan remained unaffected. In 2018, trade between the two countries flourished and grew over 230 percent to $2.6 billion.
In June 2019, Qatar announced to invest $3 billion in Pakistan, in the form of deposits and direct investments. The economic partnership between both the countries is expected to reach $9 billion once the investment is done.
2022 World Cup
In 2022, the Pakistani government announced it's agreement with the royal family of Qatar for the possible hiring and deployment of
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army (, ) is the Army, land service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The roots of its modern existence trace back to the British Indian Army that ceased to exist following the partition of India, Partition of British India, wh ...
troops to provide security for the
2022 World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an international football tournament contested by the men's national teams of FIFA's member associations. The 22nd FIFA World Cup is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022; it is the first Wo ...
.
COVID-19 pandemic
During the
COVID-19 pandemic, Qatar provided urgent medical assistance to Pakistan including
testing kits, oxygen devices and food.
Event of the Arab countries cutting ties
On 5 June 2017, 5 Arab countries: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen, UAE and Bahrain cut ties with Qatar. Pakistan has stated that "At the moment there is nothing on Qatar issue, (we) will issue a statement if some development takes place," -Nafees Zakaria, spokesman of Pakistan's Foreign Ministry. Pakistan is unsure who to support in the issue.
2022 Pakistan floods
After the
2022 Pakistan floods
From 14 June to October 2022, floods in Pakistan killed 1,739 people, and caused ₨ 3.2 trillion ($14.9 billion) of damage and ₨ 3.3 trillion ($15.2 billion) of economic losses. The immediate causes of the floods were heavier than usual mo ...
, Qatar established an
air bridge
''Air Bridge'' is a 1951 thriller novel by the British writer Hammond Innes.
It is set during the Berlin Airlift, and features a former RAF pilot now on the run from the police after becoming involved in shady activities after the war. Like all of ...
with the
Qatari Emiri Air Force and sent urgent aid to Pakistan including food, tents and hygiene kits.
References
External links
Embassy of Qatar in Pakistan(in English and Arabic)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pakistan-Qatar relations
Qatar
Bilateral relations of Qatar