Former Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad passes away, PM Narendra Modi called him a visionary leader

Doha. Former Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has passed away. He was 74 years old. Qatar’s government media gave this information. Sheikh Hamad, while being the Emir of Qatar, had included this small Gulf country among the leading countries of the world in the fields of diplomacy, media and investment. After this, breaking from tradition, he voluntarily handed over power to his son. Qatar’s government news agency informed about the death of Sheikh Hamad. But the reason for his death was not given.

Sheikh Hamad was the Emir of Qatar for 18 years

• Sheikh Hamad stepped down from power in June 2013. He was the Emir of Qatar for 18 years.
• He laid the foundation for mega-plans for energy-rich Qatar, transforming the country from a backward region to a global hub within a generation.
• Qatar purchased London’s famous Harrods department store and also launched the Al Jazeera news network, one of the world’s leading news channels.

Today Qatar’s political influence extends from North Africa to Afghanistan. The same country hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is the world’s most watched football event. However, Sheikh Hamad was not in power for long. Nevertheless, the people of Qatar present at the opening match of the World Cup gave him a warm welcome. There was a lot of applause for him.

Qatar’s growing influence under Sheikh Hamad’s leadership also made some regional and Western allies uneasy. The reason for this was Qatar’s independent thinking policies. These policies also included Qatar’s close ties with Shia-dominated Iran, Palestine’s Hamas organization and Egypt’s banned Muslim Brotherhood group.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, I am deeply saddened by the demise of former Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. He was a visionary leader who led Qatar to new heights of development and prosperity. I had the honor of meeting him during my visit to Qatar in February 2024. I express my deepest condolences to the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the entire royal family and the people of Qatar. May God grant peace to the departed soul.