President Asif Ali Zardari met with His Excellency Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs of the State of Qatar, on the sidelines of the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha.
The President underscored the close and historic ties between Pakistan and Qatar, particularly in the field of defence and security cooperation. He expressed satisfaction over the existing collaboration between the armed forces of the two countries in training, capacity building and defence production.
President Zardari emphasised the importance of expanding cooperation in joint exercises, defence technology and exchange of expertise, noting that such initiatives would further enhance regional peace and stability.
His Excellency Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani commended the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces and reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to deepening defence relations with Pakistan. He reiterated Qatar’s interest in joint defence production and collaborative defence projects, expressing readiness to expand such initiatives in the future. He also assured Qatar’s support for facilitating peace and stability in the Afghan conflict.
The President appreciated Qatar’s continued support and said that Pakistan remained committed to further strengthening its strategic partnership with Qatar in diverse fields, including defence and security.
First Lady Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Qatar were also present during the meeting.
