The Pakistani government last night approved the sending of troops from its army to protect the World Cup in Qatar. The document says it responds to a request made by Doha, which, however, has not ruled on the matter. The revelation coincides with the visit of the Pakistani Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, to the emirate's capital, which will take place between today and tomorrow.
The document states that the Qatari government would have required security assistance for the World Cup, which will be held between November 21 and December 18. But it does not clarify neither the volume nor the functions. Actually, it was the President of Pakistan, Arif Alvi, who offered collaboration in this field almost three years ago.
It should be said that the emirates of the Persian Gulf, although they have the highest spending in the world per inhabitant on weapons, have a limited number of troops, mostly mercenaries from other countries.
Foreign security assistance in the face of an event of this dimension is not new. At the Dubai Expo that ended a few months ago, the envoy requesting accreditation was required to sign an agreement to be investigated by an agency from an undisclosed third country.
Both Qatar and Pakistan have played an important role in facilitating the American exit from the Afghan hornet's nest, although surely not in the way that Washington would have liked. Pakistan is now trying to repair its relations with the US and with the entire region, something facilitated by the thaw between Qatar and its neighbors on the Arabian Peninsula, which subjected it to a blockade for four years.
In the next few days, a visit by the Pakistani Chief of Staff, Qamar Javed Bajwa, to Washington is being considered. One of his predecessors, Rahil Sharif, six years ago was placed in command of the so-called "Muslim NATO" -actually Sunni- based in Riyadh and with an "anti-terrorist" vocation, which despite the theoretical adherence of dozens of countries, has had little tour. In any case, Saudi has been obsequious for decades with the Pakistani establishment, which has now had its eye on the World Cup, even if cricket is its thing.
The Qatari government has not commented on the strength of the security arrangement and it is doubtful that it will, out of courtesy, during the duration of the official visit. Sharif is seeking two billion dollars to avoid the specter of defaulting on the debt, as has happened to Sri Lanka. Foreign exchange reserves are enough for just over a month of imports.
Islamabad is also seeking more favorable payment formulas for its reliance on Qatari gas. In exchange, the Pakistani government offers Qatar entry into the capital of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), its flag carrier, in its New York hotel and in the management of its airports.
