The Emir will visit India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – countries that are collectively home to about a third of Qatar’s population – on his latest foreign trip next week.
It’s the first time Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has made an official state visit to any of the countries, according to records published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
The Emir has spent considerable time in recent months on official state visits to foreign countries. A month ago, he visited Japan before traveling to the US for his first official White House visit. Last weekend, he was in Turkey.
His father and former Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani, traveled to India in 2012 with his wife, Sheikha Moza bint Nasser.
At the time, a deal to sell Qatar’s liquified natural gas (LNG) was a significant part of the high-level visit, but Indian media reported that the treatment of India’s large diaspora in the Gulf country was also discussed.
There are an estimated 500,000 Indians living in Qatar. While many are employed in professional and managerial positions, large numbers work in low-income construction jobs, where they are vulnerable to abuse at the hands of their sponsors.
The remittances from overseas workers are an important part of the Indian economy, making up 3.7 percent of the country’s economy. India, like other labor-sending countries, has negotiated a minimum wage for its nationals working in Qatar, but some recruiting companies have previously said that those agreements are not always followed.
Pakistan
Energy and labor issues are also expected to be raised during the Emir’s visit to Pakistan, which will be the first trip to the country by a Qatari leader since 1999, according to MOFA.
The two nations appear to have finalized a 15-year, multibillion-dollar deal to ship LNG to Karachi after months of negotiations, primarily over price. Media reports suggest that the agreement may be officially signed during the Emir’s visit.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Tamim’s visit to Sri Lanka comes roughly a month after the country’s diaspora received a plot of land from the Qatar government to build a permanent school in the Al Thumama area of Doha.
Currently, the Stafford Sri Lankan School operates from a rented building off Salwa Road near the Midmac flyover, according to the Gulf Times. The school currently has more than 900 students and employs about 60 teachers.
The new facility will accommodate some 2,000 students.
As in past visits, Qatar will sign various agreements and memorandums of understanding with the south Asian countries, covering fields such as youth and sports, culture, health, communications and information technology, Qatar’s state news agency reported.
Thoughts?
Why Not in Nepal??
Apparently you can’t get good karak or shisha there
I wonder if anyone will raise the issue that indian visas are very had to get these days and as for Pakistanis forfet about it
your spell checker is turned-off, I guess… 🙂
I think he’s only nervous because he’s Indian.
Exactly I guess he forgot Qatar was an independent nation and not a state of India.
Fixed it *wobbles head* in thousand apologies
Deleting this part of the thread because of personal attacks and it’s getting pretty racist.
I’m being accused of being an indian, how racist is that?!!?
I’m always surpsrised at the intolerance in the Middle East between different nationalities.
But my comment was not an attack? But got delete :O ?
Qatar reserves the right to refuse visas to your countrymen. India is not the only country providing labour. There are many others and it is good Qatar is trying to diversify it. Its called multiculturalism. And it is a good decision taking into account how Indian companies have an Indians only policy. In some countries that would be called racist.
And before you start with your tirade, the idea of restricting visas is very common in the so called liberal west.
Lol. Qatar does NOT practice ‘multiculturalism’.
Yes they do but my countrymen can get visas easly and in a way I support the limiting of Indians coming to Qatar. Once they get here they don’t leave and some places look like downtown Bombay.
I guess they will take my Indian passport away for saying that. Lol
LOL
So your brother and sister cant get a Qatari visa and you want the Indian PM to enquire about this. Once more, Who were you again?
Please dissuade him from repeating what he said to the British Prime Minister about the significant reforms that have been made to the Qatar labor laws and improvements to workers conditions.
Perhaps countries like India are not weak and stupid like the British to believe anything and everything though they might not make loud noises.about it. I suppose India is in a very huge trade relationship with Qatar and is a very large customer for its oil and gas. Both are in it togather for a mutually beneficial relationship and nothing much else
Specially aftr new strong Govt.in India..Qatar wll hve to walk th talk..btw Qatarairways highest revenue is generated frm India too..
Not just QA but the same applies for Emirates and Etihad. Its countries like China and India which keep some of this companies afloat but this organizations feel a bit shy and backwards to acknowledge this and its no wonder they keep on adding more and more services to this sectors
“New strong govt in India” -lololololololol
Seems u watch WWE too much..Strong in terms of Numbers which is also clld Majority in Parliament..not Choke slamming Lol…!!!
You seems to be too busy with work or full time sleepy!…Wake up
None of these Asian govts are even to raise their mouth regarding the issues of labor laws. They’ll just talk about ways to increase trade and fill their coffers. Just have a look at how Asian embassies look into the welfare of their citizens. The Gulf countries don;t care about what the Asian govts have to say. They just are bothered about the western govts and their response. And if the British PM can be given hollow assurances you cannot forget about the rest. In the words of Mr Baker- As long as there are third world countries there will be no shortage of labor in QA- pretty much sums up their attitude.
My wishes to him may the trip will continue to make good relationship with India and Qatar
Interesting to see who wll b first..
Ameer,heart felt welcome to Kerala too..Kerala is the southern state of India..around 1 Million keralalites are working at Qatar.1 million keralites are living at uae too…They are at saudhi,Bahrain in huge numbers..