Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif says Pakistan and Qatar need to work closely to further extend their cooperation beyond the economic domain to defence, military exercises and training of personnel and joint ventures.

He was talking to Ambassador of Qatar to Pakistan Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who called on him in Islamabad.

The Defence Minister said Pakistan's military institutions are open for Qatari Armed Forces to avail maximum training facilities.

He said Qatar is an important country and Pakistan attaches great value to its relations with it.

The Minister also highly appreciated Qatar's contribution in the flood relief efforts in Pakistan.

The ambassador acknowledged the existing scope and scale of cooperation in the field of defence between the two countries and desired to undertake joint ventures in the respective field on progressive basis.