Prime Minister of Pakistan discusses regional situation with Qatari emir

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday had a telephonic conversation with the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and discussed evolving developments in South Asia.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked the Qatari emir for supporting Pakistan in difficult times.

While referring to recent developments in South Asia, the prime minister stated that Pakistan condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and underscored the nation’s sacrifices in the war against terror.

He rejected India’s attempts to link Pakistan with the Pahalgam incident without any proof and reiterated his offer for a credible, transparent and neutral international investigation into the incident.

The prime minister expressed serious concerns over India’s weaponization of the waters of the Indus Basin, which he deemed as unacceptable, while emphasizing that water was the lifeline of the 240 million people of Pakistan.

Underscoring the hard earned economic gains over the past one year, the prime minister stressed that Pakistan would gain no conceivable advantage by involving itself in any such incident at a time when it was on the path to economic stability.

Meanwhile, the Qatari emir appreciated Pakistan’s efforts for peace in South Asia and said that Qatar wanted to work with Pakistan towards ensuring the de-escalation of the current crisis.