ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday travelled to Doha to show solidarity with Qatar within days after it came under an unprecedented Israeli attack that drew condemnation even from Tel Aviv’s staunchest allies.
Shehbaz was among the first world leaders to reach out to the Qatari leadership after the Israeli strikes targeting the Hamas negotiation team.
On Thursday, the prime minister along with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Doha to express solidarity with the people and the leadership of the State of Qatar in the wake of the recent Israeli attack, according to the PM Office readout.
“During his visit, the prime minister held a very warm and cordial meeting with the Amir of Qatar His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani,” the statement said.
The prime minister conveyed Pakistan’s strongest condemnation of the Israeli attack on Doha on September 9, terming it a blatant and flagrant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He said that the leadership and people of Pakistan were deeply disturbed by this attack against the brotherly State of Qatar, that constituted a serious breach of international law.
While reaffirming the historic, fraternal bonds between Pakistan and Qatar, the Prime Minister stated that the two countries had proudly stood with each other through thick and thin.
It was in this spirit of brotherhood that Pakistan stood shoulder to shoulder with His Highness the Amir, the Royal Family of Qatar and with the brotherly people of Qatar during this challenging time.
He assured the Qatari leadership of Pakistan’s full solidarity and support in the face of this unjustified provocation. He also conveyed deep sympathies on the loss of precious lives in this dastardly and heinous attack by Israel and prayed for speedy recovery of the injured.
The prime minister emphasized that Israel’s brazen aggression in the Middle East must be stopped and the Ummah needed unity among its ranks in the face of Israeli provocations.
The prime minister appreciated Qatar’s responsible, constructive and mediatory role in efforts to bring peace in Gaza, and stressed that such acts of Israeli aggression were clearly meant to undermine regional stability and threaten ongoing diplomatic and humanitarian efforts.
The prime minister said that at Qatar’s request, Pakistan had requested for an emergency session of the UN Security Council to discuss the recent developments in the Middle East. He also welcomed Qatar’s decision to host an Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit on September 15, and said Pakistan had indicated its willingness to the OIC to co-sponsor and co-convene this Summit.
The Prime Minister also thanked His Highness the Amir for Qatar’s strong support for Pakistan during its stand off with India earlier this year.
“His Highness the Amir of Qatar thanked the Prime Minister for his thoughtful gesture of visiting Doha to express his solidarity with Qatar at this time,” according to the statement.
Both leaders agreed to maintain close coordination in promoting regional peace, upholding international law and supporting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
This visit reaffirmed the deep rooted brotherly ties between Pakistan and Qatar and their shared commitment to peace and stability in the region.
The Pakistani prime minister is the latest foreign leader to visit Qatar since the attack, following officials from Kuwait, Jordan and the UAE.
The Saudi crown prince Muhammad bin Salman was also due to visit Doha later Thursday.
Earlier, Pakistan, along with Algeria and Somalia, requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss Israel’s reckless airstrikes on Qatar.
“In view of the unprovoked illegal Israeli aggression against the brotherly State of Qatar, Pakistan, along with Algeria and Somalia, has requested an Emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, to discuss the situation and seize itself of this grave matter,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Ishaq Dar in a brief statement.
The unprecedented Israeli strikes hit a residential complex in Doha’s Leqtaifiya district where senior Hamas officials were meeting to discuss a Gaza ceasefire. While the Hamas leaders survived, at least six people, including relatives of a senior Hamas negotiator and a Qatari security officer, were killed. It was the first known Israeli military operation on Qatari soil.
Qatar denounced the strike as a violation of its sovereignty and suspended its mediation role in ongoing ceasefire talks. The attack has drawn widespread condemnation, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Germany, Russia, and the UK calling it a breach of international law.
