Prime Minister is Visiting Qatar Amid Rising Military Tensions in The Region

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to Qatar from

Today (Monday) amid rising military tensions in the region.

The speculations about US military strikes against Iran have intensified as the US President has ordered American troops out of Qatar and Bahrain amid fear that US-Iran war could start any moment in the region.

The Prime Minister will undertake a visit to Qatar from 23–24 February 2026, at the invitation of the Amir of the State of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The Prime Minister will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, other Ministers and senior officials, reads a press release of Pakistani foreign office.

The withdrawal of troops stationed at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and military bases linked to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, comes amid growing fear over the possibility of military confrontation with Tehran and the risk of Iran’s retaliatory strikes across the region.

Al Udeid, the largest US military installation in the Middle East, hosts around 10,000 troops and plays a central role in American air operations in the region. Officials said the redeployment was intended to reduce exposure of forces in the event of a sudden escalation. The move has been widely interpreted as part of a contingency planning rather than a signal of imminent conflict.

It is almost clear that Prime Minister Sharif is undertaking this visit amid these rising tensions that must be related to the emerging war scenario emerging in the region. However, the Pakistani foreign office press release makes no mention of these rising tensions.

“The visit reflects the deep-rooted fraternal ties between the two countries and underscores their shared commitment to further strengthening multifaceted cooperation” reads Pakistani press release.

“During his stay in Doha, the Prime Minister will hold a bilateral meeting with His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, covering the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including political engagement, economic collaboration, energy partnership, and people-to-people exchanges.

The two sides will also explore new avenues of cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade, investment, energy, infrastructure development, and manpower export”

“Both countries share a longstanding partnership characterized by mutual trust and close coordination at regional and international forums. The visit will also provide an opportunity for both leaderships to exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest, reaffirming their resolve to work closely for peace, stability, and prosperity in the region”.

At present US military forces are deployed across a network of bases in Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the UAE. US and Iranian negotiators are getting ready to hold another round of talks with Iran on Friday in Geneva if they receive a detailed Iranian proposal for a nuclear deal in the next 48 hours. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday officials of Iran and the US are expected to attend Oman-mediated talks in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday, noting that there is still “a good chance” of a diplomatic solution to Tehran’s nuclear ambition.

It is likely that during Prime Minister Sharif’s visit this emerging military situation will come up for discussions.