Pakistan, Türkiye agree to deepen social protection partnership with new MoU

• Minister Imran Ahmad Shah, Turkish minister pledge closer cooperation in poverty alleviation and community development

• Pakistan showcases BISP, PBM, PPAF and TVO as pillars of its expanding social protection network

• Ankara offers expertise in digital service delivery, family-centred welfare and disability inclusion

• Both sides vow to strengthen institutional collaboration through technical exchanges and capacity-building initiative

 ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Syed Imran Ahmad Shah on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to deepening cooperation with Türkiye in social protection and poverty alleviation, as both countries agreed to initiate a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen institutional collaboration and facilitate the exchange of best practices in social welfare, community development and social safety programmes.

The understanding was reached during a bilateral meeting between Federal Minister Syed Imran Ahmad Shah and Türkiye's Minister of Family and Social Services, H.E. Ms. Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, on the sidelines of the 9th Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of OIC Member States being held in Islamabad.

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Welcoming the Turkish minister, Syed Imran Ahmad Shah expressed appreciation for her visit to Pakistan and reaffirmed the deep-rooted and historic brotherly ties between Pakistan and Türkiye. He said the two countries had always stood by each other and continued to enjoy a relationship founded on mutual trust, shared values and close cooperation.

During the meeting, the federal minister briefed the Turkish delegation on Pakistan's social protection architecture and highlighted the role of the ministry's flagship institutions, including the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM), Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) and the Trust for Voluntary Organizations (TVO), in expanding social safety nets, supporting vulnerable communities and promoting inclusive development.

The minister appreciated Türkiye's integrated and digitally enabled social protection system and acknowledged the valuable experience of the Ministry of Family and Social Services in delivering comprehensive family welfare and social assistance programmes. He noted that Pakistan was keen to benefit from Türkiye's best practices in digital service delivery, family-centred social protection, disability inclusion and institutional coordination.

Highlighting the existing collaboration between Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM) and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the federal minister appreciated the successful implementation of initiatives such as the Ramazan Food Programme and the Centralized Kitchen Project.

He expressed the desire to further strengthen institutional collaboration through joint initiatives, technical exchanges and capacity-building programmes in the fields of social welfare and poverty alleviation.

H.E. Ms. Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş appreciated Pakistan's social protection initiatives, particularly the internationally recognised Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), and commended its contribution to supporting vulnerable households and promoting women's financial inclusion.

Both ministers agreed to initiate a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety of Pakistan and the Ministry of Family and Social Services of the Republic of Türkiye to facilitate the exchange of best practices, strengthen institutional cooperation and enhance collaboration in the fields of social safety, social protection and community development.

The meeting was attended by H.E. İrfan Neziroğlu, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Pakistan, along with senior officials from both sides.