Envoy says Qatar to provide jobs to 100,000 Pakistanis

PESHAWAR: The Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Pakistan, Saqar bin Mubarak Al-Mansouri, has said that Pakistan and Qatar are brotherly Islamic countries having strong economic relations and both are sincere in strengthening these bonds.

Talking to a delegation of Peshawar-based journalists led by Peshawar Press Club President Syed Bukhar Shah and Chief Editor of daily Awaz Subh, Mohammad Abid, at the Qatar Embassy in Islamabad, he said his country would provide jobs to 100,000 Pakistanis in different fields.

He said the purpose of the Qatar-hosted talks between the Afghan Taliban, the United States of America and the Afghan government at Doha was the restoration of peace in Afghanistan.

The ambassador maintained that all the Islamic countries were ready to play a role in restoring peace and stability in Kabul.

Flanked by the deputy ambassador, he argued that the sanctions imposed by Saudi Arabia on his country had not damaged Qatar but rather benefited the country and its people.

Responding to a question, the ambassador said that after the imposition of sanctions, Qatar faced problems for just one month. “We overcame these problems with the support of friendly countries,” he added.

He said Qatar had started exporting its products to other countries, adding his country was moving rapidly towards self-sufficiency.

He said there was no confusion over the LNG agreement between Pakistan and Qatar as it was signed between the two governments.

The envoy said there were vast opportunities in the energy and agriculture sectors in Qatar and this had discussed with the government of Pakistan.

He pointed out that Qatar would require manpower for the World Cup football to be held in 2022.

The envoy said more than 1,200 Pakistani industrialists were playing a role in the development of Qatar. He added thatt thousands of Pakistanis were serving in the police and army in Qatar.

He pointed out that Pakistan ranked 13th in trade with his country.

The ambassador said that he was ready to play the role of a bridge between the traders and industrialists from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the traders in Qatar.

He said his country has already opened visa sections in Islamabad and Karachi and decided to provide job opportunities to more than 100,000 Pakistanis.

The envoy said the proposal of opening a consulate of Qatar in Peshawar was under consideration.

He said that more than 20 flights were operating from various cities of Qatar and Pakistan on a daily basis.

To a question, Al-Mansouri said that there were no curbs on the media in Qatar. He added that Qatar was an Islamic country and there was no justification for any anti-Islam and anti-moral values and activities to take place there.

He claimed the government of Qatar and its ministers always welcomed criticism so that they could introduce reforms.

The ambassador maintained that his country was striving for the restoration of peace in the entire world, particularly in Islamic countries. He said Qatar was willing to get a share in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and was already holding negotiations with Pakistan and China in this regard.