Gulf Times

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has sounded a clarion call that resonates far beyond Qatar. Opening the Shura Council’s 55th annual session in a year when war reached Qatar itself, he reminded citizens, residents and the wider world that a crisis must be prepared for, faced with candour and carried as a shared responsibility. Pakistan condemned the attacks on Qatar’s territory from the first day and has watched Doha’s response with admiration. His Highness the Amir set out the doctrine behind it with rare clarity: protect sovereignty, sustain Qatar’s role in global energy security, and keep the doors of diplomacy open. That meant defending the homeland firmly without being drawn into war, keeping supply chains running and pressing for a ceasefire and a return to talks. It was a masterclass in crisis statecraft. His insistence that dialogue does not mean complacency in defence, and that defending sovereignty does not conflict with preventing a wider war, deserves a hearing in every capital. He was equally clear-eyed about the cost. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and damage to energy facilities at Ras Laffan, the hub of Qatar’s gas industry, disrupted exports, and state revenues fell by 42% in the first half of the year. Yet spending was cut by only 14%, without touching essential services, and the non-hydrocarbon economy, now some 80% of real GDP, kept growing. Few leaders set out such figures so plainly; that candour is itself a mark of confidence. Resilience, His Highness the Amir observed, is not born in the moment of crisis but in the planning that precedes it, as years of military preparation and prudent public finance bear out. Qatar’s recovery will be a springboard, not a return to the past, backed by some QR221bn in projects and investment opportunities over five years. Pakistan attaches special importance to this address. Qatar has long been our principal supplier of liquefied natural gas, so when His Highness the Amir notes that his country supplies about a fifth of the world’s LNG trade, and that any disruption is felt by consumers everywhere, Pakistani homes and factories need no persuading. Nearly 300,000 Pakistanis live and work in Qatar, and it meant much to them that His Highness the Amir commended residents as well as citizens for their solidarity. Having been privileged to help broker this year’s ceasefire and host talks in Islamabad, Pakistan also knows how much depends on those who keep diplomacy’s doors open. For the wider world, the address is a timely reminder of shared responsibility. His Highness the Amir’s warning that regional and global security are interconnected, and that instability anywhere cannot be fenced off, was borne out in energy markets worldwide this year. Securing navigation through Hormuz and shielding energy, water and civilian infrastructure is therefore an international duty, not a burden for the Gulf alone. So is accountability. Pakistan stands with His Highness the Amir in calling what has happened in Gaza a genocide whose perpetrators must not escape justice, and in seeking fair, comprehensive settlements in Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia. His Highness the Amir’s candid assessment of the regional crisis deserves careful international reflection. His emphasis on the interconnected nature of security, the vulnerability of vital energy infrastructure and the consequences of disruptions to maritime navigation underlines an inescapable reality: instability in the Gulf is never merely a regional concern. The international community must recognise that preventing escalation is a shared strategic responsibility, not simply an obligation resting upon the countries directly affected. Above all, the speech asks us to appreciate the situation critically rather than comfortably: to strive for the best, prepare for the worst and accept that institutions and citizens alike must take responsibility. That creed, resting on preparedness, a diversified economy, efficient institutions and social solidarity, holds for any nation, Pakistan included. Both Qatar and Pakistan have worked tirelessly, often through painstaking and discreet diplomatic engagement, to help bridge differences between American and Iranian positions at various stages and through different channels. Their complementary diplomatic efforts, grounded in mutual trust, regional understanding and a shared preference for de-escalation, represent a strategically important convergence on the international stage. Qatar’s established mediation capabilities and Pakistan’s longstanding relationships with key regional and international stakeholders offer considerable scope for facilitating communication, narrowing differences and preventing dangerous miscalculations. At this critical juncture, this partnership deserves to be strengthened as an instrument of regional stability and constructive diplomacy. In conclusion, His Highness the Amir said the truest way to honour the late Father Amir, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, whose vision strengthened the institutions that held firm this year, is to safeguard his achievements. Pakistan, which observed a day of national mourning at his passing, stands shoulder to shoulder with Qatar as it does exactly that.