The annual bilateral consultations between Pakistan and Qatar, scheduled to take place in Doha on Wednesday, have been postponed, according to official sources.
Last week, the Foreign Office had announced these high-level talks, with a delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar set to represent Pakistan. Ishaq Dar had already chaired two preparatory meetings to finalize the agenda for discussions with Qatari officials.
However, sources revealed that the talks were postponed due to Ishaq Dar’s sudden departure to China for an official visit. Reports indicate that both nations are in contact to finalize new dates for the rescheduled consultations.
The bilateral discussions were expected to cover a broad range of topics, including economic cooperation, energy partnerships, and regional security matters.
According to state media on Sunday, Ishaq Dar convened an interministerial conference to discuss preparations for the Pakistan-Qatar Bilateral Political Consultations. Key topics like trade, investment, defense cooperation, and shared diplomatic objectives were anticipated to be discussed during the Qatar negotiations.
On Friday, a Foreign Office spokesperson stated that Dar was scheduled to meet with Qatari leadership in addition to leading Pakistan’s delegation during the negotiations. According to Radio Pakistan, authorities briefed the deputy PM on the status of several Pakistan-Qatar initiatives during the meeting on Sunday.
The report stated, “The foreign minister and deputy prime minister emphasized that arrangements should be made for meaningful, fruitful, and outcome-oriented talks in Doha.”
These discussions come months after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif traveled to Qatar in October 2024 to strengthen economic ties between the two nations. After leading delegation-level discussions with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, Sharif held a separate meeting with him to discuss various matters.
At the time, Sharif’s office stated that the leaders “examined the full range of Pakistan-Qatar relations, exploring potential avenues for enhanced cooperation in trade, investment, energy, and culture.”
Qatar and Pakistan share a long history of cultural, military, and economic ties. The Qatar Investment Authority pledged $3 billion in 2022 for projects in Pakistan, including hotels, renewable energy, and airport management.
These talks come as Islamabad seeks to boost trade and foreign investment to support its struggling economy, which is on a challenging path to recovery after narrowly avoiding default in June 2023.
