Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on the sidelines of the Emergency Arab–Islamic Summit in Doha, convened in response to Israel’s September 9 airstrike on a residential area in the Qatari capital.
Accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, the Prime Minister strongly condemned the Israeli aggression, calling it a flagrant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law. He expressed Pakistan’s full support and solidarity with Qatar, emphasizing the historic and brotherly ties between the two nations.
Call for Unity and Action
PM Shehbaz underscored the urgency of ending Israeli aggression in the Middle East, calling for unity within the Ummah and praising Qatar for its leadership in convening the summit. He also referenced Pakistan’s call for an emergency UN Security Council session at Qatar’s request.
The Emir of Qatar thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz for visiting Doha and for standing in solidarity with the Qatari people. Both leaders agreed to remain in close coordination amid the evolving regional crisis.
Arab-Islamic Summit: A United Front Against Israeli Aggression
Leaders from across the Arab and Islamic world gathered at the summit to express solidarity with Qatar and to issue a unified response to the Israeli airstrike, which reportedly targeted Hamas members based in Doha.
According to a draft resolution, the summit warns that Israel’s “hostile acts” threaten efforts toward regional coexistence and normalization of ties. The joint statement urges countries to:
- Review diplomatic and economic relations with Israel
- Pursue legal actions against it
- Take “all possible legal and effective measures” to halt attacks on Palestinians and sovereign states
On Monday, PM Shehbaz once again denounced the attack as “reckless and provocative,” calling for immediate international accountability for Israel’s war crimes. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s position:
“The only just and lasting solution lies in the creation of an independent State of Palestine on pre-1967 borders, with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital.”
“Let history record this moment, when we, the leaders of the Arab-Islamic world, have chosen unity, dignity, and courage over silence and inaction,” he concluded in his address.
High-Level Meetings on the Sidelines
While in Doha, PM Shehbaz also held bilateral meetings with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan, alongside Ishaq Dar and COAS Syed Asim Munir, signaling a broader consensus on the regional threat posed by Israel’s actions.
Details of the Israeli Strike on Qatar
The Israeli airstrike in Doha on September 9 targeted a residential area reportedly housing members of Hamas’ political bureau, resulting in the deaths of six people, including the son of a top Hamas negotiator and a Qatari security officer.
Hamas confirmed the loss of five of its members, stating that its leadership was not harmed. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry called the strike a “cowardly attack” on its sovereignty, with Spokesman Majed al-Ansari saying Israel deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure.
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International Reaction: US Signals Concern
Former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the Israeli strike, expressing concern that it harmed both American and Israeli interests. He referred to Qatar as a “close ally working hard to broker peace”, and assured Emir Tamim that “such a thing will not happen again on their soil.”
Despite reaffirming the goal of eliminating Hamas, Trump stressed that such actions should not compromise diplomatic relationships or violate the sovereignty of allied states.
