Turkish Foreign Minister, Defence Minister call on PM

Pakistan, Turkiye reaffirm commitment to boost ties, target $5 billion trade volume

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Turkiye on Wednesday reaffirmed their resolve to deepen bilateral cooperation across key sectors, including defence, trade, energy, culture, education, and infrastructure, pledging to enhance the bilateral trade volume to $5 billion.

During a joint press stakeout of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar here, the two sides expressed satisfaction over the ongoing progress of the 12 joint standing committees established under the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC).

Deputy Prime Minister Dar recalled that during the last session of the HLSCC, held in Islamabad in February this year, both sides had agreed to establish a Joint Commission, co-chaired by the two Foreign Ministers, to review the progress of the 12 Joint Standing Committees working under the HLSCC framework.

He expressed satisfaction in sharing that all twelve Joint Standing Committees have either already met or are scheduled to meet in the coming weeks.
In addition, he said the meeting of the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC), was expected to be held in the coming weeks.
“The JMC will be co-chaired by the Minister of National Defence of Türkiye, Yasar Güler, and the Minister of Commerce of Pakistan, Jam Kamal Khan. This important platform is expected to further bolster economic cooperation between the two countries,” he added.
The deputy PM praised Turkiye’s successful indigenization of its defence industry, which had grown from 20% to 80% in recent years and said that Pakistan was keen to benefit from its experience.

He said the Pakistan side was pursuing the establishment of a Special Economic Zone in Karachi dedicated to Turkish enterprises, while efforts were underway to revive the Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad rail corridor. “Our delegations are meeting in coming weeks to finalize a road map in this regard.”
Dar also confirmed that land had been allocated in Muzaffarabad for the construction of a Maarif school.
He added that several major projects involving Turkish firms were being considered, including the Jinnah Medical Complex, Danish University, offshore drilling operations, and participation in the privatization of power distribution companies. Pakistan is also working to benefit from Turkish expertise in ship-breaking and water management, he added.
Capacity building in counter-terrorism is also on the agenda, he said adding that “These initiatives are seen as laying the groundwork for the 8th HLSCC to be held in Turkiye next year”.
Reaffirming the close bond between the two nations, Ishaq Dar described Turkiye as a “trusted friend and reliable brother,” emphasizing Pakistan’s solidarity with the Turkish people.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hailing the productive meeting with DPM Dar today, said that the bilateral relations between the two nations were strengthening each day.
“We are aiming to increase our commercial relations up to $5 billion by enhancing cooperation in diverse areas including energy, mining, education, and transportation,” he added.
He also stressed the need to further strengthen air, sea, land and railway connections between the two countries, saying that technical activities in this regard were ongoing.
On regional issues, the Turkish foreign minister praised Pakistan’s restraint during recent tensions with India and reiterated Turkiye’s support for peace and dialogue. “All international societies have seen the wisdom and calm attitude of Pakistan during the tension,” he added.
He also condemned Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Iran, calling them a “violation of international law,” and pledged continued Turkish efforts for a permanent ceasefire and humanitarian aid in Gaza.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, Hakan Fidan and the Minister of National Defence, Yasar Güler, Wednesday called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.
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, a Prime Minister’s Office news release said.
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 17th ECO 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 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.
Separately, a high-level delegation led by Guler called on Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) chief, at the Air Headquarters in Islamabad.
Both officials agreed on the establishment of “dedicated joint working groups to streamline and accelerate progress across various sectors of mutual interest”, according to a statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The meeting encompassed discussions on evolving regional security dynamics, progress of ongoing defence cooperation and prospects for future collaboration in emerging domains of warfare, ISPR said.
The Turkish defence minister expressed sincere gratitude to the air chief for the warm reception and gracious hospitality extended by the PAF.
He lauded PAF’s “exceptional performance under the insightful leadership of the air chief in the recent conflict with India, commending its operational preparedness and resolute defence of national sovereignty”, the ISPR said.
“Highlighting the longstanding fraternal ties between Turkiye and Pakistan, Yasar Guler conveyed Turkiye’s earnest desire to bolster bilateral defence relations through deeper industry-to-industry collaboration,” the ISPR highlighted.
Guler “particularly emphasised the need to explore joint ventures in cutting-edge domains, including niche disruptive technologies, advanced avionics and unmanned aerial systems”, the statement said.
The Turkish defence minister expressed his appreciation for PAF’s continued support in the pilot exchange programme, which he termed as a “vital initiative for fostering professional growth and operational understanding” between the two air forces.–NNI