Pakistan Army to provide troops for Qatar 2022 World Cup security

Pakistan’s Information Minister, Mariyum Aurangzeb, announced on Monday that the cabinet has approved a draft agreement to provide troops to Qatar for the FIFA World Cup, reports Press Trust of India via ndtv.com.

The 2022 World Cup will run from November 21 to December 18.

Pakistan’s nod came after the Joint Staff Headquarters (JSHQ) proposed the signing of the agreement and its foreign ministry, as well as the Directorate General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), expressed no objections to it.

“The agreement contains modalities for deployment of troops for security assistance during the FIFA World Cup 2022. The agreement aims to define the obligation of the two parties, the specific specialisations, and the number of security personnel to be sent by Pakistan to participate in the security and safety operations,” according to a statement.

Pakistan’s approval came just ahead of Shehbaz Sharif’s first visit to Qatar, as the country’s prime minister at the invitation of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar.

In July, Turkey’s Interior Minister, Suleyman Soylu, said the country will send 3,250 security officers to Qatar for the World Cup, and Ankara had also trained Qatari security personnel ahead of the competition.

Earlier this year, NATO confirmed that it would also provide security during the event.

“As part of the close cooperation between Qatar and NATO, the North Atlantic Alliance will provide support for the security aspects of the World Cup,” it said in a statement.

“The support will include training against threats posed by Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) materials. It will also include training for the protection of very important people (VIPs) and to counter threats posed by