DOHA, June 5: President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Amir of Qatar Shaikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani held wide-ranging discussions on bilateral and regional issues on Sunday and agreed to expedite initial work on a pipeline project for export of gas from the energy-rich Gulf country to Pakistan.

The two leaders met at the Diwan-i-Amiri after President Musharraf’s arrival here for a two-day state visit.

A delegation of experts from Qatar would visit Islamabad shortly to hold talks with their Pakistani counterparts on various aspects of the project, Foreign Minister Kasuri told APP after the meeting.

President Musharraf informed the Qatar Amir about Pakistan’s recent economic progress, saying the country needed to import gas to meet its growing energy requirements both in agrarian and industrial sectors.

“Pakistan needs more gas to fuel and sustain higher economic growth in the years ahead,” he said, adding that the 8.3 per cent GDP growth achieved by Pakistan this year ranked only second to China in Asia.

The president said that Pakistan was facilitating foreign investors as economic activities help generate job opportunities and reduce poverty.

Welcoming President Musharraf, Shaikh Hamad said his country greatly valued Pakistan’s recent economic turnaround and would like to continue its participation in the development of Pakistan.

President Musharraf informed the Amir about Islamabad’s efforts for establishing durable peace in South Asia through the resolution of the long-standing Jammu and Kashmir dispute with India.

The two leaders also exchanged views on the Middle East situation with reference to Palestinians’ right to an independent homeland.

They also discussed reform of the Organization of Islamic Conference and agreed that it should be made an effective body, capable of leading the Muslim world to socio-economic development. Over 50,000 Pakistanis are working in various sectors in Qatar.

Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri, Minister for Labour and Manpower Sarwar Khan, Minister for Investment and Privatization Dr Hafeez Shaikh, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources Naseer Mengal and Minister of State for Water and Power Amir Muqam were accompanying the president during the meeting.