HANDOUT
LAHORE
Qatar Investment Authority, an investment institution of Qatar government, has expressed willingness for huge investment in various national development projects in Pakistan. This investment of billions of rupees by Qatar will be made in energy generation, gas supply and other sectors.
Qatar Investment Authority made this announcement during a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and his entourage. Federal Minister for Petroleum Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Special Assistant to Chief Minister Dr Musadiq Malik and Ambassador of Pakistan in Qatar Shahzad Ahmed were also present on the occasion.
It was decided in the meeting that a high-level delegation of Qatar Investment Authority will visit Pakistan this month to discuss Qatari investment. It may be mentioned that work on the development projects of billions of dollars is continuing in various countries of the world including Turkey, Middle East and Europe with the capital of Qatar Investment Authority, however, the investment by Qatar Investment Authority in Pakistan is negligible.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that Pak-Qatar relationship is taking new dimension and the decision of investment of billions of rupees by Qatar government will usher a new era of foreign investment in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif met Prime Minister of Qatar Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasir Khalifa Althani in Doha. Promotion of bilateral relations and prospects of investment were discussed during the meeting.
Talking to Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Qatar said that stability of Pakistan is the stability of Qatar and Qatar wants to see Pakistan a peaceful and prosperous country. He said that Qatar government will welcome manpower of Pakistan openheartedly.
Talking to Prime Minister of Qatar, Shahbaz Sharif said that vast opportunities of investment exist in Pakistan. He said that the situation in the region is improving and the relations with Afghanistan have improved. He expressed the hope that Pakistan will soon overcome terrorism.
Senior officials of Ministry of Petroleum and heads of investment companies of Qatar held meetings with Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif in Doha in which besides cooperation in energy sector, increasing manpower from Pakistan to Qatar came under discussion. Prospects of investment in various sectors in Pakistan particularly Punjab were also discussed in detail. The investors of Qatar expressed their interest in investment in agriculture, energy and other sectors in Pakistan.
Talking to Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Qatar officials assured that Qatar will extend cooperation to Pakistan in various sectors of national development and Qatar is ready to make Pakistani manpower part of development process in Qatar. They said that the role of Pakistani manpower and overseas Pakistanis cannot be forgotten in the national development of Qatar in early days and assured to promote cooperation in various sectors with Pakistan in coming days. Speaking on the occasion, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that all reservations of Qatar will be removed with regard to expertise of manpower and security matters.
He said that a new era of relations between both the countries has started due to his visit to Qatar. He said that there is a vast scope of investment in various sectors in Pakistan particularly Punjab. He said that government is providing facilities to the investors on priority basis and investors of Qatar can benefit from investment opportunities in various sectors in Punjab. The Chief Minister said that a conducive atmosphere has been created for investment in Punjab and all facilities are being provided to investors under one roof. He said that the project of construction of LNG terminal in Karachi is being completed speedily and will be completed in a record period.


Meanwhile, talking to media in Doha, Shahbaz Sharif said that useful and meaningful talks were held with the leadership and senior officials of Qatar during his visit to Qatar. He said that new avenues of relations between Pakistan and Qatar are opening. He said that Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif gives great importance to the relations with Qatar and assurance of cooperation by Qatar in energy and other sectors is a good omen. He said that Pakistan and Qatar are linked with old historic relations and the darkness of loadshedding will be removed with the cooperation of friendly countries.