Pakistan and Qatar on Wednesday agreed to promote cooperation in different sectors, according to Radio Pakistan.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha today.

The two sides also discussed matters pertaining to bilateral and mutual interest during the meeting.

Earlier, PM Shehbaz was accorded a warm welcome as he arrived at the Diwan-e-Amiri to meet the emir of Qatar, APP reported.

The red carpet was rolled out to welcome Prime Minister Shehbaz at the Diwan where a formal ceremony was held in his honour.

Later, the Amiri guards also presented a guard of honour to the prime minister, who is in Doha on a two-day official visit at the invitation of the Qatari emir.

Later today, he will also meet the chairman of Qatar Businessmen Association and the chief executive of Qatar Airways to promote economic cooperation between the two countries.

Sharif travelled to Qatar earlier on Tuesday in hopes of attracting trade and investment for his country, his office and aides said.

On Tuesday, the prime minister met Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, besides addressing the Pakistan-Qatar Trade and Investment Roundtable conference.

Sharif said earlier he planned to highlight sectors including renewable energy, food security, industrial and infrastructure development, tourism and hospitality.

“The Prime Minister invited the Qatari businessmen to invest in Pakistan’s energy, aviation, agriculture and livestock, maritime, tourism and hospitality sectors,” the statement said.

Sharif’s Qatar visit precedes an International Monetary Fund meeting next week that is expected to approve a $1.2 billion tranche of lending, which has been stalled since the beginning of the year.

Pakistan, a major importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar, also hoped to seek a deferred payment plan for the LNG bought under long term deals, Reuters reported.

Pakistan has two long-term LNG supply deals with Qatar to provide up to nine cargoes a month.

“We will surely seek any facility of deferred payments on our LNG deals,” an aide to Sharif told Reuters, adding that the country was also seeking support for its foreign reserves to the tune of $2 billion.

Sharif’s Cabinet on Monday approved a draft agreement that allows the government to provide troops for security at the FIFA soccer World Cup in Qatar this year.