Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reached Doha on Monday for a brief official visit to Qatar to participate in the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit.
At Doha Airport, His Excellency Sheikh Abdul Rahman bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar’s Minister of Culture, greeted the Prime Minister and the Pakistani delegation.
The exceptional meeting has been called following Israeli airstrikes on the Qatari capital, resulting in multiple fatalities, including high-ranking Hamas members and a Qatari security official.
The assault, denounced throughout the Muslim world, has intensified concerns of regional instability and highlighted Israel’s increasing aggressive campaign.
As per the Foreign Office (FO) announcement, the summit will gather leaders and high-ranking officials from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member nations to discuss the regional crisis and develop a unified strategy.
Leaders are expected to discuss a collective response, which will include calls for accountability regarding Israeli war crimes, humanitarian access to Gaza, and actions to prevent further violations.
The prime minister is joined by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is currently in Doha, where he has conducted preparatory discussions and presented extensive proposals to address Israel’s “dangerous trend” of unrestrained assaults.
Dar presented an extensive seven-point reaction to the Israeli airstrikes targeting Qatar. He stated that “Muslim nations need to come together to enforce specific actions against Israel,” outlining suggestions such as creating a combined Arab-Islamic task force to prevent additional aggression, seeking the suspension of Israel’s UN membership, and enacting punitive actions by member nations.
He similarly urged for “an immediate and lasting ceasefire, along with the exchange of prisoners,” guaranteeing unrestricted humanitarian access in Gaza, and restoring a true political process focused on a two-state solution.
Pakistan has vehemently denounced Israeli attacks on Qatar and other neighboring countries. While in Doha last week, Shehbaz reiterated “unwavering support” for Qatar’s security and independence, emphasizing the nation’s dedication to peace and stability in the Middle East.
Officials indicated that Shehbaz’s presence with other Muslim leaders represents a collective determination of the Muslim Ummah to tackle Israeli aggression and support Palestine.
