PM Shehbaz departs for one-day visit to Qatar to condole death of ex-emir Sheikh Hamad

Why This Matters

Key context: <p>Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday headed to Qatar on a one-day visit to offer condolences at the <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2014840">passing </a>of former emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.</p> <p>In a post on the social media platform X, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said PML-N President Nawaz Sharif was also accompanying the premier.</p> <figure class='media w-full w-full media-- media--embed media--uneven media--tweet' data-original-src='https://x.com/PakPMO/status/2076524623273812284'> <div class='media__item media__item--twitter '><span> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/PakPMO/status/2076524623273812284"></a> </blockquote> </span></div> </figure> <p>“The prime minister will meet with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and express condolences at the passing of former emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani,” the PMO said.</p> <p>The PMO said the prime minister’s visit to Qatar reflected the decades-long, enduring fraternal relations between the Qatari royal family, the Qatari people, and the government and people of Pakistan.</p> <p>Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar are also accompanying the prime minister.</p> <p>Qatar on Sunday had<a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2014840"> announced</a> the death of its former emir, who led the country from 1995 to 2013. He was 74, according to an official government statement.</p> <p>Sheikh Hamad was widely regarded as one of the principal architects of modern Qatar, having overseen a period of rapid economic growth and transformation during his tenure.</p> <p>Subsequently, Pakistan<a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2014840"> announced </a>that a day of mourning would be observed today.</p> <p>The national flag will fly at half-mast across the country, according to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division and shared by the PMO on Sunday.</p> <p>It is expected that the premier will also discuss the fresh <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2014807/tehran-says-strait-of-hormuz-shut-as-us-launches-fresh-strikes-on-iran-gulf-states-hit"><u>exchange of attacks</u></a> between the United States and Iran that brought all peace efforts of the mediators — Pakistan and Qatar — back to square one.</p> This development from dawn.com highlights ongoing changes in the sector.