Qatar National Day: Message from H.E. Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Ambassador of the state of Qatar to Pakistan

TEXT: 1. On the occasion of the National Day of the State of Qatar which falls on 18th December each year, I am honored to extend my sincere felicitations to HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, HH the Father Amir Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and all the honorable Qatari people and residents of the State of Qatar.

1. Under the wise leadership of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the State of Qatar has achieved many unprecedented achievements in the process of a comprehensive development in all areas of life as it anticipates the prospects of a prosperous future and a new era of prosperity and well-being of the homeland, its citizens and the residents.

2. The slogan for the celebration of 2021 Qatar National Day "Ancestral Meadows: A Matter of Trust," comes out of loyalty to the legacy of the fathers and grandfathers in preserving the homeland and its gains, as the Qataris have been closely associated with their environment since ancient times, they were raised and affected by its characteristics, so they coexisted with its nature, sea and land, in all its seasons. It even formed an important and influential part in consolidating their national identity and belonging to this beloved land.

3. The State of Qatar has proved that it is the protector of international peace and security, especially its appreciable and unparalleled efforts in Afghanistan to save it from the cycle of strife. Qatar also proved that it is the capital of global sports by hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022 and the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, which began on Nov. 30, 2021, and providing all the necessary preparations for this tournament in response to the passion of the people of the Arab region. This is also an ideal opportunity to improve the readiness of operations and facilities for the most important international sporting event hosted by Qatar next year.

4. The State of Qatar is going through an important stage in its comprehensive advancement, through the realization of its national strategies in accordance with Vision 2030, in terms of infrastructure investments, development projects, economic diversification, environmental preservation and combating climate change.

5. The year 2021 also saw the inaugural Shura Council election, a landmark event for Qatar and its people. Qatar has made a remarkable success in economic indicators despite many countries going through economic crises and complete paralysis in many vital sectors as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The State of Qatar's overcoming of this global crisis is an achievement that indicates the state's professionalism in planning and study treatments.

   Qatar – Pakistan Relations

6. The bilateral relations between the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan are witnessing continuous growth and are immensely strengthened, expressing confidence that they will continue to flourish in the coming years.

7. This is reflected in the mutual visits which hugely strengthened the cooperation between the two countries in various fields, especially in the economy, trade, investment, energy, tourism and education. Qatar is also exploring the opportunities to promote bilateral cooperation with Pakistan in the fields of agriculture, food industries and livestock, in addition to housing, tourism and services sectors.

Qatar continues providing medical assistance to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to combat Covid - 19

1. The State of Qatar was keen from the beginning to provide assistance to the Pakistani government in order to support its efforts to combat the Corona virus. (Covid-19) and to protect the brotherly Pakistani people from this pandemic.

2. The State of Qatar has continued providing urgent medical aid to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the year 2021 as well and about 4 shipments of urgent medical aid were delivered by the Embassy of the State of Qatar provided by the Qatar Fund for Development.

3. This came as a demonstration of the State of Qatar's standing and solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and as an affirmation of the friendly relations Between the two countries.

Economic Ties

1. The bilateral trade has risen to about $ 2.6 billion in 2018, as Qatar has undertaken many economic reforms that are a strong motivation for Pakistani businessmen. These reforms have a real impact on the ground where there are about 7 Pakistani companies with 100% ownership in the Qatari market, as well as about 1400 joint companies. The launch of the direct shipping line between Karachi port and Hamad port in Doha has greatly helped to increase trade exchange between the two countries.

Cooperation in the Energy Sector

1. In February 2021, Qatar Energy (Formerly Qatar Petroleum) entered into a new long-term Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with Pakistan State Oil Company Limited (PSO) for the supply of up to 3 million tons per annum (MTPA) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

2. The State of Qatar is delighted to enter into this new long-term agreement with Pakistan State Oil Company Limited and to continue our contributions towards meeting Pakistan’s increasing energy demand.

3. This agreement further extends Qatar’s long standing LNG supply relationship with Pakistan and highlights Qatar’s commitment to meeting Pakistan’s LNG requirements. The State of Qatar is confident that the exceptional reliability of our LN supplies will provide PSO with the required flexibility and supply security to fuel Pakistan’s impressive growth.”

Recruitment of Pakistani labor

1. The State of Qatar continues to bring Pakistani manpower to work on various projects, and has doubled since 2020 the number of Pakistanis working in Doha. The opening of 2 Qatar Visa Center in Islamabad and Karachi has facilitated the issuance of visas to Pakistanis.

2. The State of Qatar is keen to diversify prospects of cooperation with Pakistan in the future, and we hope that coming days will witness further consolidation and development in the existing bilateral cooperation between the two brotherly countries in all aspects of life.

3. To conclude with, I also wish, on this happy occasion, to express my gratitude and appreciation for the people of Pakistan, who share the joy of the this occasion with Qatar, cherished by the historic bilateral relations between the two countries.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021