Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani. - File Photo.

DOHA: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabar Al Thani on Monday agreed to collaborate in diverse areas mainly energy, trade, agriculture and infrastructure development.

The two leaders discussed ways to further promote trade and investment ties compatible to their bilateral relations in a meeting held at the Amiri Diwan - the office of Qatar's Prime Minister.

The two sides discussed diverse issues, including joint development of hydropower sector, identification of sources of financing, exploration of investment opportunities in energy sector, rehabilitation of existing hydropower plants and infrastructure development.

Pointing out the issue of finalization of transnational formalities to import Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) at the earliest, Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan was interested in importing 500 million cubic feet LNG per day from Qatar that produces 77 million tonnes per annum of LNG.

Qatar's Minister for Energy will visit Pakistan this month to hold talks with his counterpart in which substantial progress is expected.

Gilani offered Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim to absorb Pakistani skilled and semi-skilled labour in Qatar and said that already 87,000 Pakistani expatriates were efficiently contributing to Qatar's economy.

He said that a separate Ministry for Professional and Technical Training had been set up to impart technical and professional training to Pakistanis enabling them to work in the Arab countries in general and Qatar in particular.

He mentioned that more Pakistanis could effectively be part of Qatar's demand of two million workforce for its infrastructure projects for FIFA 2022 World Cup to be held in Doha.

Prime Minister Gilani stressed the need for diversifying the trade potential between the two countries. He expressed satisfaction over the remittances from Qatar that increased substantially.

On the Afghan issue, the Prime Minister said Pakistan wanted a stable, prosperous and independent Afghanistan and would support any reconciliation process which was Afghan-led and Afghan-owned and did not cause instability in Pakistan.

The Prime Minister appreciated the initiatives of the Qatari Government for facilitating the efforts for peace in Afghanistan. He said that Pakistan wanted good relations with all its neighbours, including Afghanistan and India.

He referred to his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and said that both the countries were committed to bring peace in the sub-continent.

Gilani said Pakistan gave great importance to its relations with Qatar and wanted to explore new avenues of cooperation. He said Qatar was playing an important role in regional stability, including peace in Afghanistan.

He also expressed satisfaction over the security and defence cooperation between the two countries.

Qatar's Prime Minister said his country was ready to invest up to five billion dollars in Pakistan in agriculture, tourism and infrastructure and other sectors.

He proposed Pakistan to hold an exhibition of its products in Qatar and offered assistance in holding the exhibition aimed at creating demands for the products of high quality.

He said Pakistan was an important neighbour of Afghanistan and added that it should be involved in the peace process. He said Qatar would be happy to facilitate the peace process in Afghanistan.

Qatar's Prime Minister briefed Gilani on the situation in Syria and the stance taken by the Arab world and the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries.

He vowed that Qatar would support Pakistan to initiate a Free Trade Agreement with the GCC countries.

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said Pakistan would never take a position to countering and opposing the Arab world on important issues.

She called for expediting the Pak-GCC Free Trade Agreement on which two rounds had already taken place.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain, Minister for Technical and Vocational Education Riaz Hussain Pirzada and Member of the National Assembly Munir Aurakzai.

Earlier, a guard of honour ceremony was held on the arrival of Prime Minister Gilani at the Amiri Diwan. The Prime Minister reviewed the parade after the national anthems of two countries were played.