DOHA: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Tuesday, describing Qatar as a “reliable friend” of Pakistan, stressed the need of effective bilateral engagement to boost trade and investment ties according to their true capacity and potential.
Addressing Pakistan-Qatar Trade and Investment Roundtable 2022 here, he appreciated Qatar for supporting Pakistan during the era of extreme inflationary trends worldwide and the economic tightness “beyond our imagination”.
The prime minister termed the panel discussion during the trade and investment roundtable very productive and informative, which, he said, gave them a way forward for the friendly countries of Pakistan and Qatar enjoying decades old fraternal relations based on mutual trust, respect and support.
He said Pakistan offered huge opportunities of investment in the areas of agriculture, solar energy, renewable energy and Information Technology (IT).
The prime minister said the present government took over at a time when Pakistan was facing huge challenges of hovering economy, trade deficit and huge pressure on resources.
The prime minister said the only way forward to cut imports, including those of fuel, was to boost the country’s exports through increased industrial production and moving towards renewable energies.
Highlighting the country’s huge hydropower potential, he said Pakistan offered foreign investors, especially the Qataris to benefit from investing in hydropower generation for immediate profits.
Lauding Qatar for its mediatory role in Afghanistan, he said the country had established its credibility to promote peace, tranquility and harmony not only in Afghanistan but also in the region.
The prime minister said Pakistan and Qatar should synergize their efforts in the area of trade and investment. He highlighted his government’s firm commitment to providing a friendly environment for business and investments in the country.
He stressed that Pakistan was blessed with immense natural and human resources, and that its geographical location enabled it to become the region’s premier trade, energy and transport corridor. This unique advantage made Pakistan a market full of promise and opportunities, the prime minister added.
He underscored that having a large consumer market with an ever-expanding middle class, Pakistan offered attractive business opportunities for investors in the fields of food security, energy including renewables, agriculture and livestock, information technology, hospitality and tourism sectors.
The prime minister assured of the government’s full support to the Qatari investors in deepening their footprint in Pakistan. He appreciated the efforts of organizers in arranging the roundtable with Pakistani and Qatari businessmen.
Earlier, Pakistan’s ambassador to Qatar, in his welcome address, expressed the confidence that the prime minister’s visit would lead to substantial enhancement of bilateral trade, investment and economic ties.
The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), the Pakistan Business Council Qatar, and the Embassy of Pakistan in Doha jointly organized the roundtable.
Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Finance Minister of Qatar; Sultan Bin Rashid, Undersecretary Ministry of Commerce and Industry of Qatar; and Yousaf Al Khater Jaida, CEO, Qatar Financial Canter also participated in the event.
A large number of leading Qatari business and corporate executives as well as Qatar-based Pakistani business community in Doha also attended.
During the roundtable, a distinguished panel discussed the enhancement of bilateral trade and economic relations. The panel discussion mainly focused on exploring new areas of cooperation to forge stronger business-to-business linkages.
The panelists included Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister of Commerce; Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Ms. Alanoud bin Hamad Al Thani, Chief Business Officer of QFC; Mohsin Mujtaba, Honorary Investment Counsellor; and Dr. Javaid Iqbal, President of Pakistan Business Council.
