Sharif to visit Qatar to sign LNG deal

Pakistan - During the visit, the prime min-ister will hold meetings with the Amir and his counterpart, and will be called on by senior cabinet ministers of Qatar.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will lead a high level delegation on a two-day visit to the State of Qatar on February 10, during which the two countries are expected to sign a number of agreements in various fields including a long-term sale-purchase agreement of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The prime minister will visit Qatar on Feb 10-11, on the invitation of Amir of the State of Qatar, His Highness Shaikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister and Minister of State of Qatar Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, said a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The premier's visit, which comes less than a year after the Qatari Amir visited Pakistan in March, 2015, "is a testimony of growing relations between the two brotherly countries," it said. During the visit, the prime min-ister will hold meetings with the Amir and his counterpart, and will be called on by senior cabinet ministers of Qatar. The two sides will participate in wide-ranging delegation-level talks, during which a number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) will be signed in the fields of health, radio and television, education and research. The focus of the visit and interaction with the Qatari leadership will be on further enhancement of bilateral relations in various fields, including energy cooperation, trade and investment, defence and increase in employment opportunities for the Pakistani work-force in Qatar. Both leaders will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest. Qatar hosts more than 115,000 Pakistanis, who have been contributing towards the development and prosperity of the country and act as a bridge between the peoples of two brotherly countries, the statement added.

• Pakistan