ISLAMABAD, Feb 13 (Alliance News): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a bilateral meeting on Thursday, discussing a wide range of regional, global, and mutual interests.
The visit, marked by high-level engagements, reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to transforming their ties into a strategic partnership.
President Erdogan, who arrived in Islamabad the previous night, was received with a warm welcome at the Prime Minister’s House.
He inspected the Guard of Honour, witnessed a Pakistan Air Force flypast, and planted a tree in the PM House lawns.
Following their meeting, the two leaders co-chaired the 7th Session of the Pakistan-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC).
Ministers from both countries presented progress reports on nine Joint Standing Committees, covering key areas of cooperation. Two newly established committees on Health and IT also shared their reports.
Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir participated in the discussions, underscoring the depth of Pakistan-Turkiye relations across multiple sectors.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stressed the need to enhance economic cooperation through direct business engagements and increased bilateral investment. He encouraged Turkish businesses to explore opportunities in Pakistan’s agriculture, energy, mining, and emerging technology sectors.
The Pakistani premier expressed gratitude to President Erdogan for Turkiye’s unwavering support on the Jammu and Kashmir issue and reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with Turkiye on matters of national interest.
Both leaders also reviewed the situation in the Middle East and expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian people.
PM Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan’s call for a two-state solution, advocating for an independent Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, in accordance with UN and OIC resolutions.
During the visit, 24 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), protocols, and agreements were signed across various sectors to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
The leaders also unveiled a plaque naming a key interchange in Islamabad after President Erdogan, symbolizing the deep-rooted Pakistan-Turkiye friendship.
