Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday arrived in Qatar for a one-day visit to express “solidarity and regional unity” after Israeli airstrikes targeted residential areas in Doha earlier this week.
On Tuesday, Israel launched an airstrike against Hamas leaders in Doha, expanding military actions that have ranged across the Middle East to include the Gulf Arab state where the Palestinian group has long had its political base.
According to Hamas sources, the group’s representatives were targeted while they were discussing United States President Donald Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Qatar condemned the attack as “cowardly” and called it a flagrant violation of international law.
“On arrival, he was received by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs of Qatar Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al Thani,” state-run Radio Pakistan reported today.
“PM Shehbaz, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and a high-level delegation, will meet Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to convey Islamabad’s sympathies and support for the Gulf state today,” a statement by the foreign office said earlier.
“The visit underscores Pakistan’s unwavering support for the security and sovereignty of Qatar and its commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East,” the statement said.
According to state-run Associated Press of Pakistan, their meeting “will also include consultations on Israel’s unwarranted attacks on various countries in the region, its ongoing aggression, and efforts to establish peace in the region”.
Doha and Egypt have also been instrumental in US-backed attempts to hammer out a ceasefire in Gaza, and have been working tirelessly to help secure a deal that would see prisoners being freed on both sides.
Qatar and Pakistan share strong diplomatic ties, rooted in their shared faith and values.
Earlier this month, the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to regional peace and stability during a meeting between Pakistan’s top military official, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza and the Qatari military leadership on his visit to Qatar.
More to follow.
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