Islamabad (TDI): Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani welcomed Hassan bin Abdullah Al-Ghanim, Speaker of the Shura Council of Qatar, to Pakistan for the Inter-Parliamentary Conference, emphasizing the strong and fraternal ties between the two countries.
Chairman Senate described Qatar’s participation in the conference as a clear demonstration of the country’s parliamentary support for promoting peace, security, and sustainable development. He also extended warm regards to Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and the people of Qatar.
During the meeting, Chairman Senate highlighted that relations between Pakistan and Qatar are founded on mutual trust, respect, and Islamic brotherhood. He expressed gratitude for Qatar’s support to Pakistan in various sectors, particularly in energy, investment, and employment opportunities for Pakistani workers. He appreciated the Pakistani community in Qatar for serving as a bridge of friendship between the two nations and for their active contribution to Qatar’s development. Chairman Senate also lauded Qatar’s positive role in promoting regional peace, mediation, and humanitarian efforts.
Gilani emphasized that parliamentary diplomacy can play a pivotal role in bringing the two nations closer together. He proposed institutionalizing parliamentary linkages through the Pakistan-Qatar Parliamentary Friendship Group to facilitate regular exchanges and visits between parliamentarians and committees. He expressed Pakistan’s interest in enhancing cooperation with the Shura Council in staff training, study visits, and exchange of knowledge and experience. Chairman Senate appreciated the Shura Council’s active participation in regional and international parliamentary forums and expressed hope for closer collaboration.
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Highlighting the role of parliaments in advancing peace and stability, Chairman Senate underscored that parliaments serve as key platforms for inclusive dialogue and the protection of human security. He said that a peaceful, prosperous, and interconnected Islamic world is the shared vision of Pakistan and Qatar.
He further noted that both countries could strengthen cooperation through international parliamentary platforms such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA), and the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC) to amplify their voice for global peace and sustainable development. He added that sustainable development is not possible without peace and security, and that true peace can only be achieved through social and economic justice.
Chairman Senate appreciated Qatar’s consistent and constructive role in regional conflict resolution and mediation efforts. He paid tribute to Qatar’s humanitarian initiatives in support of the people of Palestine and lauded its facilitative role in the Doha peace talks held in October 2025, which led to a ceasefire between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Gilani remarked that Qatar’s leadership has always prioritized dialogue, peace, and stability, and reaffirmed Pakistan’s full support for these efforts.
Chairman Senate stated that Pakistan greatly values Qatari investment and looks forward to further expanding cooperation in the fields of energy, infrastructure, agriculture, information technology, and industry. He emphasized that both parliaments can play an instrumental role in creating a conducive policy environment for trade and investment.
He also expressed Pakistan’s desire for greater employment opportunities for its workforce in Qatar. “60% of our population consists of youth. The are skilled and semi-skilled and can contribute to the development of Qatar”, he said. Gilani emphasized the importance of people to people contacts and underscored the need of enhanced parliamentary linkages.
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In his concluding remarks, Chairman Senate thanked Speaker Al-Ghanim for his participation in the conference and for sharing his valuable insights. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening parliamentary cooperation and deepening fraternal relations with Qatar. He concluded that Pakistan and Qatar will continue to work together toward achieving their shared goals of peace, security, and development.
For his part, Hassan bin Abdullah Al-Ghanim expressed his satisfaction to visit Pakistan and participate in the conference. The relationship between Qatar and Pakistan, he said, is deep rooted. “It is between people to people. We value our relations with Pakistan,” he observed. Al-Ghanim also agreed with the views of Chairman Senate to further strengthen the institutional linkages.
Sohail Majeed
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
