ISLAMABAD: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will land in Islamabad on Wednesday for a two-day state visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.
The highly anticipated visit is expected to bolster bilateral ties between the two long-standing allies and strengthen economic, political, and defence cooperation.
According to the Foreign Office, Erdogan will be accompanied by a high-ranking delegation, including key government ministers, senior officials, and a significant group of business leaders representing major Turkish corporations.
A key highlight of the visit will be the 7th Session of the Pakistan-Turkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), co-chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Erdogan. The council is the apex decision-making body tasked with providing strategic direction to further enhance ties between the two nations.
In previous meetings, the HLSCC has addressed various critical sectors, including defence, trade, finance, agriculture, education, and science and technology. The upcoming session is expected to yield significant agreements and partnerships.
Sources indicate that a formal Joint Declaration will be issued at the conclusion of the talks, with several important agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to be signed. These agreements are likely to cover areas such as trade, defence, cultural exchanges, and investment initiatives.
During the visit, the two leaders will address a joint press conference to outline the outcomes of their discussions and agreements.
Additionally, Erdogan is scheduled to hold private bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and former President Asif Ali Zardari. Diplomatic analysts suggest that the discussions could cover the geopolitical landscape of the region, the ongoing economic crisis in Pakistan, and the enhancement of defence collaboration between the two nations.
A key component of Erdogan’s agenda will also be the Pakistan-Turkiye Business and Investment Forum. The forum will bring together leading investors, entrepreneurs, and executives from both countries in an effort to explore new avenues for trade and investment. It is expected to provide opportunities for collaboration in energy, manufacturing, technology, and infrastructure development.
The HLSCC framework, established as a mechanism to deepen ties between Pakistan and Turkiye, consists of several Joint Standing Committees that focus on diverse fields including communication, transport, IT, healthcare, education, banking, and tourism. The last HLSCC session was held in February 2020 in Islamabad.
Pakistan and Turkiye share a rich history of fraternal ties, with both nations consistently supporting each other on regional and global platforms. Erdogan’s visit marks another significant step toward enhancing this multifaceted relationship and fostering new avenues of cooperation at a strategic level.
Officials anticipate that the visit will reinforce collaboration between the two nations and contribute to long-term partnerships in several key sectors, fostering greater mutual growth and development.
