PM Shehbaz arrives in Türkiye to deepen strategic, economic partnership

ISTANBUL: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Istanbul on Friday on an official visit to Türkiye at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with the two sides set to hold wide-ranging discussions aimed at further strengthening their strategic partnership and expanding bilateral economic cooperation.

Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat received the prime minister at the airport. Pakistan's Ambassador to Türkiye, Dr Yousaf Junaid, senior Turkish Foreign Ministry officials and members of the diplomatic corps were also present to welcome the visiting delegation.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar are accompanying the prime minister during the visit.

According to an official statement, Prime Minister Shehbaz and President Erdogan will hold comprehensive talks covering all aspects of Pakistan-Turkiye relations, with particular emphasis on enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, defence, regional connectivity and other areas of mutual interest.

The two leaders are also expected to exchange views on regional and international developments, including the evolving security situation in the Middle East and efforts to promote lasting peace and stability.

During his stay in Istanbul, the prime minister will address a high-level Pakistan-Turkiye Business Forum organised to showcase Pakistan's investment potential and strengthen commercial linkages between the two countries.

The conference will bring together leading Turkish investors, business executives, government officials and representatives of major companies to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan's priority sectors, including Special Economic Zones (SEZs), energy, information technology, infrastructure and the government's ongoing privatisation programme.

The event is expected to provide a platform for expanding business-to-business contacts and encouraging greater Turkish investment in Pakistan as both countries seek to boost bilateral trade and economic collaboration.

Pakistan and Türkiye enjoy longstanding fraternal relations rooted in shared history, culture and mutual trust. The two countries maintain close cooperation across a broad spectrum of areas, including political dialogue, defence, trade, education and multilateral diplomacy, while consistently supporting each other on regional and international issues.

The visit follows the meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz and President Erdogan on the sidelines of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum in April, where the two leaders reviewed bilateral relations and discussed major regional developments, particularly the situation in the Middle East.

During that meeting, President Erdogan commended Pakistan's diplomatic efforts to promote peace and reaffirmed Turkiye's support for Islamabad's initiatives aimed at reducing regional tensions.

Prime Minister Shehbaz briefed the Turkish president on Pakistan's efforts to facilitate a ceasefire between Iran and the United States and revive negotiations for a durable peace agreement.

Both leaders had underscored the importance of capitalising on the emerging opportunity to advance lasting peace and stability in the region and expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of bilateral ties.

They also agreed to convene the eighth session of the Pakistan-Turkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) in Ankara later this year to review progress across key sectors and identify new avenues for collaboration.

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating the implementation of existing agreements, expanding economic engagement and further strengthening the strategic partnership between Pakistan and Türkiye based on their shared vision of regional peace, prosperity and sustainable development.