ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi talking to his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani in Islamabad said Qatar is playing an important role in overcoming the energy crisis in Pakistan.

He said this during one on one meeting in which both the leaders discussed bilateral relations and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's visit to Pakistan.

Foreign Minister Qureshi said more than one hundred and twenty five thousand Pakistanis living in Qatar are playing an important role in development of Qatar. He said that these expatriates are playing the role of a bridge between the two countries.

The trade volume between the two countries has crossed 2.5 billion dollar mark. He expressed the hope that  visit of Qatari Emir will open new vistas of trade between the two countries and investment will increase.

Qatar Foreign Minister expressed interest on behalf of his country to invest in various sectors in Pakistan. He said his country is interested in importing more than one hundred thousand people from Pakistan for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Earlier, Qatar's Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is also Deputy Prime Minister arrived at Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi this afternoon. He was accompanied by a Qatari delegation.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi received his Qatari counterpart at the airport. It will be the second visit of Qatari Emir to Pakistan after assuming power in 2013. —NNI