Qatar has decided not to extend any economic package to Pakistan other than to promise 100,000 jobs for Pakistani labour, it was learnt reliably. Diplomatic sources told Business Recorder that Prime Minister Imran Khan who visited Qatar from 21-22 January had a number of agenda items for discussions with the Qatari leadership including reducing LNG contract from 15 to five years, supply of LNG on deferred payment and a downward price revision.
The composition of the Prime Minister's delegation was indicative of the focus of the visit on business, economy and investment, as he was accompanied by Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razzak Dawood, Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfi Bokhari, Chairperson Prime Minister's Energy Task Force Nadeem Babar and Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua.
"There is no economic package such as supply of LNG on deferred payment or reduction in LNG contract from 15 to five years in wake of PM's visit," an official privy to the discussions told Business Recorder.
Prior to the economic assistance availed from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the sources said that there were expectations to get a similar package from Qatar as well to meet the country's energy needs and to get some relaxation in an LNG contract signed by the previous PML-N government.
Before coming to power, Imran Khan had criticized the LNG contract signed by the PML-N government and on many occasions described it as 'mother of all corruptions'.
However, sources said that Prime Minister Khan requested the Qatari Emir for a greater share for Pakistani manpower in the 2022 FIFA-related large scale infrastructure development projects. Qatar agreed, in principle, to import 100,000 Pakistani workers.
Prime Minister Khan also invited Qatari business leaders to invest in all sectors of Pakistan's economy, including energy, petroleum and petrochemicals, agricultural research, food processing, culture, tourism, education and infrastructure development.
The Prime Minister also invited Qatari public and private sectors to partner with his government's drive for construction of 5 million low cost housing units over the next five years.
The Prime Minister left for Qatar a day after the tragic Sahiwal incident. When contacted, a senior diplomat said that the Prime Minister's visit was already scheduled, which could not be cancelled in the wake of a single incident (the Sahiwal tragedy) involving the police's alleged fake encounter. "The PM had already given instruction before his departure to Qatar, and action was taken within 72 hours," he added.
Foreign tours during times of natural calamities by Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif during their tenures were severely criticized by Imran Khan.
In November last year, Customs Intelligence confiscated vehicles of Qatari Prince Hamad bin Jasim Al Thani and his family members in the warehouse of former National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman and PML-N's ex-senator Saif-ur-Rehman in Islamabad. The incident has reportedly displeased the Qatari royal family.
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