PM receives Queen of Netherlands at PM House

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will lead a high-level delegation on a two-day visit to the State of Qatar on Wednesday (today), during which the two countries are expected to sign a number of agreements in various fields including a long-term sale-purchase agreement of LNG. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will visit Qatar on Feb 10-11, on the invitation of Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister and Minister of State of Qatar Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, said a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa).

The premier's visit, which comes less than a year after the Qatari Emir visited Pakistan in March of 2015, "is a testimony of growing relations between the two brotherly countries", it said. During the visit, the prime minister will hold meetings with the Emir and his counterpart, and will be called on by senior cabinet ministers of Qatar. The two sides will participate in wide-ranging delegation-level talks, during which a number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in the field of health, radio and television, education and research.

The focus of the visit and interaction with the Qatari leadership will be on further enhancement of bilateral relations in various fields, including energy cooperation, trade and investment, defence and increase in employment opportunities for the Pakistani workforce in Qatar. Both leaders will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Tuesday received Queen M xima of the Netherlands here ath the Prime Minister House. The Prime Minister greeted the Queen who landed in the capital late Monday night.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister of State for Science and Technology Anousha Rehman and Chairman Benazir Income Support Programme Marvi Memon also received Queen Maxima. The Prime Minister's daughter Maryam Nawaz was also present. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had met the Queen of Netherlands on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos in January. Queen Maxima also works in her capacity as the UN Secretary General's Special Advocate (UNSGSA) for Inclusive Finance for Development 2016.

Her visit to Pakistan is in connection with Pakistan's National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS), launched in May 2015, to promote access to financial services such as bank and savings accounts, loans and insurance for improving financial status of masses.