Turkish Foreign Minister and Defence Minister call on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
Ansar M Bhatti
ISLAMABAD: The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, Hakan Fidan and the Minister of National Defence, Yasar Güler, called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad today. The Prime Minister was joined by the Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Chief of the Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, National Security Advisor Lt. General Muhammad Asim Malik and other senior officials.
While welcoming the Turkish delegation, the Prime Minister underscored the longstanding fraternal ties between Pakistan and Türkiye, that remain deeply rooted in shared history, culture, and mutual respect. He expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of bilateral relations and reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to further strengthening cooperation with Türkiye in diverse fields, including trade, investment, technology, and defence.
Recalling his interactions with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the year, including the most recent meeting between the two leaders on the margins of the 17thECO Summit, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm resolve to transform Pak-Turkiye relations into a strategic partnership in the days to come.
Welcoming the convening of the Joint Commission’s meeting, co-chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the Prime Minister expressed hope that the bilateral relations between the two countries would attain further momentum, leading to bolstering of cooperation in multifaceted areas.
While reiterating the commitment of the both countries to continue their strong and unwavering support for each other’s core interests, the Prime Minister emphasized upon the need for closer coordination between the two sides amidst the fast evolving regional and global environment, particularly in the context of Gaza and Iran. He once again expressed his deepest gratitude to the Turkish nation and leadership for their steadfast support to Pakistan during the recent Indian aggression.
The Prime Minister stressed upon the need for concerted efforts by both sides to enhance bilateral trade to the attain the mutually agreed target of USD 5 billion. Highlighting Pakistan’s investor-friendly policies, he invited Turkish companies to expand their investment footprint in Pakistan and invited Turkish side to share its expertise to assist in Pakistan’s structural reforms, economic growth and development efforts.
Earlier, Pakistan and Turkiye on Wednesday pledged to increase bilateral cooperation in various key sectors — including defence, trade, energy, culture, education, and infrastructure — aiming to enhance the trade volume to $5 billion.
During a joint press conference of Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Ishaq Dar with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the two countries expressed satisfaction over the ongoing progress of the 12 joint standing committees established under the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC).
Recalling the last session of the HLSCC held in Islamabad in February this year, DPM Dar — who also holds the additional portfolio of foreign minister — said both sides had agreed to establish a joint commission to review the progress of the 12 Joint Standing Committees working under the HLSCC framework.
