Qatari minister sees Pakistani premier amid Gulf crisis

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan backs a diplomatic solution to the ongoing Gulf crisis involving Qatar and supports the mediation efforts of Kuwait, the visiting Qatari foreign minister was told in the capital Islamabad on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani during his brief visit that Pakistan maintains close, friendly and cooperative relations with all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and it remains concerned at the recent Gulf crisis.

Last month, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the U.A.E. and Bahrain cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, and imposed a sea and land blockade on it, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism.

The four states presented a list of demands for Qatar to end the blockade, including the closure of the Al Jazeera television and the Turkish base in Doha, or face further sanctions.

Doha denies the accusation, saying the blockade is a violation of international law.

"The people and government of Pakistan wish to see a diplomatic solution of the problem between brotherly Islamic countries," Sharif said, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s House.

The Qatari minister briefed Sharif on his country's response to the demands of the four Arab countries and on the current status of the mediation efforts of the Kuwaiti emir.

Al-Thani expressed his gratitude to the premier for the warm reception and reiterated Qatar’s desire to further enhance bilateral relations between the two countries, the statement added.

Pakistan had announced earlier that it will remain neutral in the crisis; however, analysts say that if the diplomatic tensions further simmer and turn into a regional conflict, it will be hard for Islamabad to maintain its “neutrality”.

Recently, Qatar rejected a 13-point list of demands formulated by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the U.A.E. and Bahrain in order to restore diplomatic relations with Doha.

The two powerful regional countries -- Turkey and Iran -- have promised Qatar food supplies and sending troops.

Pakistan’s relationship with the Gulf states is mainly based on economics. Huge amounts of remittances sent by expatriate Pakistanis from Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E., Qatar, Kuwait and other Gulf states have a significant impact on the country’s economy.

Saudi Arabia and UAE jointly host over 3 million Pakistanis, whereas Qatar, a smaller Gulf state, is home to 115,000 Pakistanis.

Saudi Arabia, which alone hosts 1.9 million Pakistanis, tops the list of countries with highest remittances to Pakistan -- over $4.5 billion annually -- followed by the U.A.E. with over $3.47 billion, according to State Bank of Pakistan.

Qatar contributes only $30 million annually to Pakistan’s economy in form of remittances.