Pakistan and Qatar agree to expand security partnership

DOHA — Pakistan and Qatar agreed on Tuesday to expand their security partnership, according to a statement by Pakistan's Ministry of Interior reported by The Express Tribune. The agreement followed a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

The meeting also involved the commander of Qatar's Internal Security Force, Lekhwiya. It focused on cooperation between the two interior ministries, as well as the wider regional situation and matters of regional peace and stability.

"Pakistan and Qatar are working together for regional peace and stability," Naqvi said, according to the report. The Qatari interior minister said his country attached great importance to its relations with Pakistan.

Naqvi is in Doha to attend the eighth Global Security Forum. According to the report, he praised Qatar's role in diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Iran and the United States. He said Pakistan and Qatar had worked to prevent further escalation. He cited the involvement of Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Chief of Defence Forces and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir in keeping negotiations on track.

Naqvi also referred to the Lake Lucerne summit in Switzerland, where, he said, the Qatari prime minister and Munir worked for more than 16 hours to keep talks going. "The aim of both countries, Pakistan and Qatar, was never to take credit; the only aim was to stop further conflict and to save innocent lives," he said.

Naqvi called for stronger international cooperation, intelligence-sharing and joint efforts to combat terrorism, which he described as a common enemy.

The report does not give details of the specific security measures covered by the expanded partnership. It does not say when the agreement takes effect.

Background

The Express Tribune reported that the talks took place during the eighth Global Security Forum in Doha. The report describes Pakistan's involvement in diplomatic efforts between Iran and the United States, but does not set out the terms of those efforts. Only one news outlet has reported the meeting, and the account relies on the Interior Ministry's statement and remarks made by Naqvi.