PM Shehbaz visits FIFA World Cup 'Stadium 974' in Doha

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday visited FIFA World Cup ‘Stadium 974’ in Doha and lauded the efforts of Qatar in establishing state-of-the-art facilities for one of the biggest sporting events that is set to start later this year, APP reported.

Upon arrival at the stadium, the prime minister was given a guided tour and was briefed on the extensive preparations undertaken by the government of Qatar to host the FIFA World Cup 2022.

The premier praised the grandeur of the football stadium and associated facilities, depicting the Qatari culture and identity, built in a short span of time.

Recalling the less than 100 days countdown of the FIFA World Cup, the prime minister wished the people and leadership of Qatar a resounding success in the convening of the mega event.

Qatar Investment Authority considering about $3bn investment in Pakistan: report

Besides underlining the important contribution of the Pakistani workforce in building the world cup-related infrastructure, the prime minister expressed that Pakistanis were proud of the fact that the football, “Al-Rihla”, the official match ball of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, was a made-in-Pakistan product.

Earlier, Bloomberg reported that the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world, may invest about $3 billion in different sectors of Pakistan's economy.

The report said the $445-billion QIA is evaluating strategic investments in the country's main airports in Islamabad and Karachi, as well as in the renewable energy, power and hospitality sectors, the people said, not quoted because the information is private.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is currently an official visit to Qatar, on Tuesday invited investors from the Middle Eastern ally to invest in Pakistan’s energy, aviation, agriculture, livestock, maritime, tourism and hospitality sectors.

The premier, in a meeting with the highest officials of QIA, had highlighted Pakistan’s liberal and business-friendly investment policies.

He also urged Qatari investors to explore the opportunities presented by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) aimed at promoting regional connectivity and mutual prosperity.