Ambassador of Qatar to Pakistan Saqr Bin Mubarak Al Mansouri said that Central Tendering Committee (CTC) would facilitate Pakistani traders to export basmati rice to Qatar by opening tender for them. The ambassador said that the bilateral relations between Pakistan and the State of Qatar are based on strong foundations of mutual respect and common heritage. He said that he was confident that these relations will increase to a great extent with the expanding trade and economic interactions between the two countries. The ambassador noted that the enhanced connectivity whether through frequent flights by Qatar Airways or through the new shipping routes opened between Karachi and Hamad ports are having a major impact on the bilateral relations between the two countries. REAP Chairman Samee Ullah Naeem praised the Qatari government’s decision to grant entry visas to Pakistani citizens on arrival in Doha, saying that it is a significant step in increasing not only people to people contact, but also in facilitating the exchange of business and tourism delegations. He said that exports from Pakistan to Qatar have surged by over 50 percent in second half of 2017, as the total volume of exports from Pakistan stood at around $40m from July to Dec 2017compared to $25m in the last six months of 2016.