ISTANBUL: Pakistan and Türkiye on Saturday reaffirmed their commitment to deepening economic cooperation and strengthening their strategic partnership, agreeing to accelerate efforts to achieve a bilateral trade target of $5 billion while further enhancing the longstanding brotherly ties between the two nations.
The commitment was made during a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Vahdettin Palace in Istanbul during the prime minister’s official visit to Türkiye.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Shehbaz said the discussions covered the full spectrum of the Pakistan-Türkiye Strategic Partnership, focusing on trade, investment, defence cooperation, energy, connectivity, technology, regional peace and people-to-people exchanges.
“We reaffirmed our shared belief that dialogue, diplomacy and mutual respect remain the only sustainable path to resolving disputes and preserving international peace and security,” the prime minister said, thanking President Erdoğan for his warm hospitality.
He added that both leaders agreed to fully utilise the vast potential of bilateral cooperation to achieve the mutually agreed trade target of $5 billion and elevate the enduring bonds of friendship and brotherhood between the two countries.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shehbaz attended the Pakistan-Türkiye Business Conference, where he met leading representatives of Türkiye’s business community. He said their optimism, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit reflected the growing momentum in bilateral economic relations under President Erdoğan’s leadership.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, along with ministers and senior officials from both countries.
The two leaders reaffirmed the historic and fraternal ties between Pakistan and Türkiye and expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of bilateral relations. They agreed to further strengthen cooperation in trade and investment, energy, offshore and onshore petroleum exploration, mines and minerals, and information technology, while reiterating their determination to achieve the $5 billion trade target.
The leaders also reviewed key regional and global developments. President Erdoğan appreciated Pakistan’s mediation efforts between Iran and the United States, which resulted in the signing of the historic Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. Both sides welcomed their close diplomatic coordination during the peace process and stressed the need for sustained efforts to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region.
Looking ahead to the eighth session of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), scheduled to be held in Türkiye later this year, Prime Minister Shehbaz extended an invitation to President Erdoğan to visit Pakistan.
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