Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar
Doha, Qatar: Commending Qatar’s mediation endeavous to end conflicts in the region and beyond, Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting H E Attaullah Tarar has described Qatar as “an important stabilising force” contributing to peace and regional stability.
During an official visit to Qatar yesterday, Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, spoke to The Peninsula exclusively about the significance of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s trip and the future of Pakistan-Qatar relations.
He said that the visit of Shehbaz Sharif comes at the invitation of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. “The Prime Minister is visiting Qatar at the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. Pakistan and Qatar share a very cordial relationship, and the Prime Minister enjoys a close rapport with His Highness. Our ties are deeply rooted in shared history, culture, and religion, and today they stand at a particularly strong point.”
He emphasized that the visit reflects the depth of bilateral relations and the commitment of both leaderships to further strengthening cooperation.
Highlighting the outcomes of key meetings held during the visit, the Minister revealed that discussions were conducted with Qatari leadership, including H H the Amir, H E the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H E the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State Defense Affairs, H E the Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs and representatives of the Qatar Businessmen Association.
“We had very fruitful engagements and explored multiple avenues of cooperation, including agriculture, livestock, mining, and energy,” he said.
Minister Tarar underscored the vast potential for business-to-business (B2B) collaboration, particularly in trade and investment. He noted that Pakistan is performing strongly in agricultural sectors such as rice, mangoes, oranges, and halal meat production.
He further highlighted Pakistan’s mining sector including gemstones and minerals as an area offering significant investment opportunities.
“These discussions will translate into stronger commercial linkages and enhanced B2B cooperation between Pakistan and Qatar,” he added.
When asked about Qatar’s mediation efforts in regional and global conflicts, the Minister praised Doha’s diplomatic initiatives. “Qatar has played a pivotal role in maintaining peace both regionally and globally. Its efforts in mediating disputes, bringing rivals to the table, and facilitating dialogue are highly commendable,” he stated. He described Qatar as an important stabilizing force contributing to peace and regional stability.
Speaking about the broader outlook of Pakistan’s ties with Qatar and the Gulf region, Minister Tarar expressed confidence in Pakistan’s economic trajectory. “Pakistan is open for business. Our economy has made a significant turnaround from earlier concerns about default.” He noted that GDP growth is improving, macroeconomic stability has been achieved, interest rates have declined from 22 percent to 10.5 percent, foreign exchange reserves have nearly doubled, and inflation has fallen from 38 percent to single digits.
“Pakistan has a positive economic story to tell. We anticipate increased trade and investment, and Qatar can play a key role in this journey.”
Addressing prospects for media cooperation, Minister Tarar expressed keen interest in enhanced collaboration between media institutions of both countries.
He referred to the Al Manzar exhibition held under the auspices of Chairperson of Qatar Museums H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani during a previous visit. “Soft diplomacy is extremely important. Greater collaboration in media and content sharing can help remove misconceptions about Pakistan, Qatar, and the broader Muslim world,” he said.
The Minister added that stronger media ties could promote the soft image of both nations and showcase their strengths in art, culture, music, cuisine, filmmaking, drama, and tourism.
