- Over 700 dead, 750,000 displaced as monsoon floods devastate Pakistan
- Erdogan, Shehbaz reaffirm solidarity; vow to boost ties and back Palestine
- PM in Tianjin for SCO summit, urges greater disaster preparedness cooperation
TIANJIN, CHINA: Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday expressed solidarity with Pakistan over the loss of lives and widespread destruction caused by recent monsoon floods, vowing that his government and people stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Pakistan in this hour of trial.
Since June 26, more than 700 people have died and nearly 1,000 injured in rain- and flood-related incidents nationwide, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Punjab alone has seen at least 38 deaths and displacement of 750,000 people, while 356 fatalities were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). In Karachi, at least 10 people lost their lives as torrential rains inundated neighborhoods, disrupted traffic, and caused prolonged power outages, forcing the mayor to declare a rain emergency.
Erdoğan’s remarks came during his meeting with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State summit in Tianjin, China.
Prime Minister @CMShehbaz say he held a very warm and most productive meeting with Turkish President @RTErdogan on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin
@PakPMO @PakinTurkiye @ForeignOfficePk #Pakistan #Türkiye #SCO2025 https://t.co/AXcbnVo9Ja pic.twitter.com/v4XyDdcbVB— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) August 31, 2025
The two leaders reviewed the state of bilateral relations, expressing satisfaction at the growing momentum in political, economic, defense, and security cooperation. They also voiced deep concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, reaffirming support for Palestinians’ legitimate rights and condemning Israeli aggression and policies of genocide on international platforms.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, held a constructive bilateral meeting with the President of the Republic of Türkiye, H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State in Tianjin, China.#PakistanAtSCO pic.twitter.com/c4yuRAnLU8
— APP (@appcsocialmedia) August 31, 2025
Highlighting the fraternal ties between Pakistan and Türkiye, both leaders resolved to further strengthen cooperation for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Muslim world and beyond.
Shehbaz’s SCO engagements
Prime Minister Shehbaz arrived in Tianjin on Saturday to attend the SCO summit, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and senior officials.
During the summit, he will present Pakistan’s perspective on pressing regional and global challenges, emphasizing the SCO’s role in fostering cooperation and stability.
Earlier on Sunday, the Prime Minister visited the National Earthquake Simulation Center at Tianjin University, where he expressed Pakistan’s interest in benefiting from Chinese expertise for disaster preparedness. He lauded China’s adoption of advanced technologies in disaster management, calling them “extremely beneficial” for Pakistan in coping with natural calamities.
Shehbaz urged greater bilateral collaboration, stressing that initiatives such as the International Medical Center and the China-Pakistan Joint Lab should be made more effective to build resilience against climate-induced disasters.
Founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, the SCO is a permanent intergovernmental body promoting political, economic, security, and cultural cooperation under the “Shanghai Spirit” of mutual trust, equality, and non-alignment.
Today, the SCO has 10 member states, including Pakistan, India, Iran, and Belarus, along with two observer states and 14 dialogue partners. It maintains partnerships with international and regional organizations such as the UN, ASEAN, ECO, and CIS, formalized through multiple memoranda of understanding since 2005.
