ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday led a high-level Pakistani delegation to Doha to offer condolences to Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the death of his father, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, as Pakistan concluded a day of national mourning in honor of the former Qatari ruler whose leadership transformed the Gulf state into a global economic and diplomatic power.
The visit came hours after Pakistan observed July 13 as a day of national mourning, with the national flag flown at half-mast across the country following PM Sharif's declaration of the observance "in expression of fraternal solidarity" with Qatar's royal family, government and people.
Sheikh Hamad, who served as Qatar's emir from 1995 to 2013, died on July 12 at the age of 74. Widely regarded as the architect of modern Qatar, he oversaw the country's transformation into one of the world's leading exporters of liquefied natural gas, expanded its global diplomatic profile, launched Al Jazeera, secured the hosting rights for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and positioned Qatar as an influential mediator in regional and international affairs.
The Pakistani delegation included former premier Nawaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and other senior officials.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, PM Sharif paid rich tribute to Sheikh Hamad's "visionary leadership, statesmanship, and enduring contributions to Qatar's remarkable transformation as well as to regional peace, stability, and development."
The prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan's "steadfast solidarity with the leadership and people of Qatar during this period of profound grief" and prayed that Allah Almighty grant the departed leader the highest place in Paradise and give strength to the Royal Family and the people of Qatar to bear the irreparable loss.
In response, according to the PMO, Qatari emir thanked PM Sharif and members of the delegation for traveling to Doha to offer condolences in person, describing the visit as "a reflection of the deep-rooted fraternal bonds between the two brotherly countries and peoples.”
Earlier in the day, upon their arrival at Hamad International Airport, the Pakistani delegation was received by Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense, Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, before proceeding to Lusail Palace for the condolence meeting.
A relationship built over decades
The Prime Minister's Office said the visit reflected the "decades-long fraternal ties" between the leadership and peoples of Pakistan and Qatar.
Those ties have steadily expanded over the past five decades into one of Pakistan's closest partnerships in the Gulf, encompassing energy security, investment, defence cooperation, labour mobility and regional diplomacy.
Qatar remains Pakistan's largest supplier of liquefied natural gas under long-term agreements, while more than 150,000 Pakistanis contribute to the Gulf state's economy across sectors including construction, healthcare, engineering and services. The two countries have also strengthened cooperation in security, highlighted by Pakistan's support for safety arrangements during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Pakistani leaders have repeatedly credited Sheikh Hamad with laying the foundations of Qatar's modern development and helping elevate bilateral relations through sustained political engagement and expanding economic cooperation.
Earlier on Sunday, President Asif Ali Zardari described Sheikh Hamad's "visionary leadership" and his "valuable contributions to the progress and development of Qatar, as well as to regional peace and cooperation." Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani praised the late leader's "historic role" in advancing Qatar's prosperity and international standing, while Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry called him "a visionary statesman, an outstanding leader and a close friend of Pakistan."