Daily Times

A young, bright, vibrant and forward looking Emir of Qatar Mr.Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani was in Islamabad for a high level two days visit. Three significant MoUs were signed at the state level including building on the trade and investment, energy exploration cooperation, tourism, business events and exchange of financial intelligence. This was a reciprocal visit when the Prime Minister Imran Khan was in Qatar this January with high level delegation. Pakistan and Qatar agreed to increase the number of Pakistani workers employed in Qatar, expand cooperation in the fields of aviation, maritime affairs, higher education, and defence production.The visit is significant at the same time when Pakistan recently received Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman early last month. With a red-carpet reception, Prime Minister Khan received the Emir and drove him personally to the Prime Minister House. The Emir was leading a delegation of entourage of key ministers and senior officials arriving in Pakistan after a span of four years since 2015. Presence of Qatari Emir in Islamabad has unlocked the new ventures for bilateral relations in diverse domains of cooperation. It is also important for Pakistan to maintain a tough balance between Riyadh and Doha. With recently emerging tensions in Gulf regions specifically related to the mounting tensions between Tehran and Washington, the visits of such high level aptly provide an opportunity for the regional leaders to discuss about the way forward especially. Pakistan is required to keep its sensible approach to avoid being party to any state against the other especially when the parties in the rift are those having close ties with Pakistan. The situation also provides an opportunity for Pakistan to play its mediating role among the parties hence to maintain restrain. For the emerging challenges in the region with focusing more on putting its economic and trade course in the right directions keeping in view our foreign policy objectives intact.

Geopolitical proximity, religion affinity and common interests design the relations between Islamabad and Doha. The solidification of Pakistan -Qatar ties are beneficial for both countries as both states are facing their own set of economic and regional challenges. Both Islamabad and Doha appreciate each other’s efforts timely on the respective role on the regional and international level for peace and cooperation. Both states also extend cooperation to move out of their crisis by supporting each other in various ways. For Pakistan, Qatar is a profiting destination for employment and trade opportunities especially those industries related to agriculture challenges and Qatar can help being an oil-based economy with having huge opportunities at the same time for Pakistanis. Today a large number of Pakistani workforce is based in Qatar, not only contributing towards economy of the country but also sending huge remittances back home. Today, the insecurity and political instability in Afghanistan is a sombre challenge for Pakistan. Qatar had made many efforts to host the Afghan-Taliban talks, in return, Pakistan acknowledges Qatar’s efforts. While Pakistan urges to stay rational for the peaceful revolution whenever the conflict erupts among Middle East states. which is being highlighted by Qatar, formally and informally on a different regional and international forum. The emerging developments within the Gulf region has intensified the dynamic of regional geopolitical uncertainty for Pakistanas well as for Qatar. The ongoing war in Yemen, the Syrian Crises, the rise of Islamic States, and the escalating tension between Iran, Saudi Arabia and United states heated the insecurity and instability concerns for both Pakistan and Qatar.

The contending actors in the multipolar world order with increasingly changing nature of its transformation has also brought new set of challenges for the states. States are using the clicktivism, technologies and soft power approaches to reach out friends and foes alike

The Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and Prime Minister Imran Khan are two bold leaders with a visionary approach to steer his nation towards the height of prosperity. With the long-term vision for Qatar as ‘National Vision 2030’, Doha is striving eagerly with every dawn to widen its bilateral relations with other states for economic growth, human and natural resource advancement. While Pakistan is also facing the economic and lack of resources challenges, however both can support each other in manifold. Qatar view Pakistan as a partner in economy, development and trade in its future of self-reliance and especially in the time when the embargos emplaced since 2017. The country has survived and rather thrived during the blockage of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt. While Pakistan with its own sets of regional and international financial, economic, development and security challenges, is harvesting on to move ahead and pass this difficult phase. Qatar with its visionary leadership provides an excellent opportunity for Pakistan to come out of its own stresses. In recent years, Qatar has also built and strengthened its relations with Turkey, Iran and reached out to Pakistan as well for cooperation. With diversifying options and allies in foreign policy, both Pakistan and Qatar are working on the options to sail through this complex global world disorder. In the post blockade period, the vivid increase in the trade volume by 70.5% isan excellent examplethat the two countries can reflect with pride.Qatar has also invested and refined its oil and energy investment opportunities whereas it is also willing to cooperate with Pakistan in the dimension. Qatari nation and its leadershipreflect the fact that once a nation is united and stood by its leadership then nothing can stop them to achieve the objectives of prosperity and no blockade or any challenge hamper growth. This is something that we may also learn from each other.

The contending actors in the multipolar world order with increasingly changing nature of its transformation has also brought new set of challenges for the states. States are using the clicktivism, technologies and soft power approaches to reach out friends and foes alike. Now, the tradition of using hard powers for achieving and sustaining national interest has ended. In these dynamics, it is imperative for Pakistan to open its options and diversify the state of diplomacy and foreign policy objectives keeping intact its interest at all costs. With ever increasing significance of Pakistan keeping in view its geo-strategic location and advent of CPEC later in the history of development of Pakistan, the country has recently remained in the global and regional limelight for the significant reasons. The recent visit of Emir of Qatar and earlier this year’s visits of high levels from different countries proved the importance of Pakistan. There is a strong need right now that Pakistan and its population of 270 million people must realize their potential that they can pose to the world. With emphasis on improving our quality of not only living but at the same our quality to understand and adjust ourselves according to the emerging challenges in the global world. With the vigilant, open ended and diversified options and keeping our house in order, Pakistan will be able to play a constructive and peace promoting role in region and beyond. Our worst enemies are not our foes but instable economy, high ratio of unemployment, extensive range of taxes, lack of quality education are the domains which demands immediate course of action. PM Prime Minister Khan with team of Ministers are diversifying options and connecting to the different countries of the world like Qatar for improving the state of economy and bringing home the much-needed investment and opportunities for the citizens of this country.

The writer is Director, Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies