ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has further strengthened its ties with Kazakhstan and Turkey in recent weeks, according to the Foreign Office’s weekly briefing on Friday.
A 13-member delegation from Kazakhstan called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari, besides holding comprehensive talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
The two sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, with a particular focus on the information and technology sector. The two countries also signed an action plan providing a structured roadmap for collaboration in diverse fields.
The agreement was signed following dialogue between Ishaq Dar and his Kazakh counterpart, Murat Nurtleu. Both leaders directed their respective teams to fast-track negotiations on agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs), expected to be finalized in time for the Kazakh president’s upcoming visit.
Separately, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Minister of National Defence Yasir Güler arrived in Islamabad for an official visit to Pakistan. The delegation called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and held meetings with Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir.
According to the Foreign Office, both sides reaffirmed their mutual commitment and held wide-ranging talks in all areas of shared interest.
The weekly press briefing opened with FO Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan addressing Israel’s recent strike in Doha, Qatar. He reiterated Pakistan’s strong support for Qatar’s sovereignty, recalling Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent solidarity visit to Doha and Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad’s, speech before the UN Security Council — wherein Ahmad denounced Israel’s systemic disregard for international law.
Khan also addressed the ongoing situation in Nepal, expressing deep sorrow over the loss of life during recent protests. “We trust that the resilience of the Nepali people will help shape a future marked by harmony and renewed hope,” he said, offering condolences to bereaved families and those injured.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the Kashmiri people and their right to self-determination, the spokesperson condemned India’s ongoing aggression in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K). He regretted the denial of bail to Kashmiri leader Shabir Ahmed Shah and strongly criticized the decision to take over 215 private schools in the occupied territory.
