Pakistan PM Shehbaz to attend Arab-Islamic summit in Doha today
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in Doha today (Monday) to attend an emergency Arab-Islamic summit, called in response to Israel’s recent strikes on Qatar that have sent shockwaves across the Middle East.
The high-level gathering, jointly sponsored by Pakistan, is being seen as a crucial test of regional unity at a moment of heightened instability.
The summit follows Israel’s unprecedented air raids on Doha last week, which targeted senior Hamas figures living in Qatar. The attack rattled regional capitals, not least because Qatar has long played the role of mediator in Gaza ceasefire negotiations. Analysts warn that the strikes could derail fragile efforts to broker a truce between Israel and Hamas, and may also complicate talks over the release of Israeli hostages ahead of the upcoming UN General Assembly session in New York.
Pakistan has positioned itself firmly on Qatar’s side. “We strongly condemn Israeli aggression against Qatar and other states in the region,” Pakistan’s state broadcaster reported, underscoring Islamabad’s alignment with Doha at a time when Gulf and Arab governments are scrambling to respond.
Ahead of the summit, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar landed in Doha on Sunday to represent Islamabad at a preparatory meeting of foreign ministers. That session laid the groundwork for Monday’s emergency summit, where heads of state, prime ministers, and senior officials from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are expected to convene under one roof.
Prime Minister Shehbaz, officials say, is expected to highlight both Pakistan’s solidarity with Qatar and Islamabad’s broader call for an end to Israeli strikes across the Middle East. Observers believe Pakistan will use the summit to press for a collective Arab-Islamic position at the UN, where the crisis is likely to dominate discussions.
The Doha summit, coming just days before world leaders converge in New York, is expected to shape not only the regional narrative but also how the Islamic bloc presents its case on Gaza and wider Middle East security before the international community.
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