PM Shehbaz Sharif Embarks on Official Visit to Turkiye

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in Turkiye for a two-day official visit following an invitation from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Prime Minister was welcomed at the airport by Turkiye’s Defence Minister Yashar Guler.

According to details shared by the PM Office, the Prime Minister is accompanied by a high-level delegation.

Key Members of the Delegation
  • Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed Ishaq Dar
  • Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar
  • Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi

Discussions with President Erdogan

During his visit, PM Sharif is scheduled to have detailed discussions with President Erdogan concerning bilateral relations. Both leaders are also anticipated to discuss recent regional and international developments.

Strengthening Bilateral Ties

A statement highlighted that Pakistan and Turkiye, as enduring allies and strategic partners, maintain a tradition of regular high-level exchanges, showcasing the strong fraternal ties between the two nations.

The statement further noted that the meeting signifies a continuation of the strong dialogue and highlights a mutual dedication to enhancing the multifaceted partnership between Pakistan and Turkiye.

Previous Engagements

This visit occurs after President Erdogan’s visit to Islamabad in February, where he jointly chaired the 7th session of the High Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) to foster cooperation and coordination on matters of shared importance.

During that session, the two countries inked 24 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and reaffirmed their commitment to increasing bilateral trade to $5 billion.

Key Agreements Signed
  • Expanding the Trade in Goods Agreement (TGA)
  • Enhancing defence cooperation
  • Facilitating Turkish investments in Pakistan

Both leaders also committed to operationalizing the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul trade corridor and strengthening collaboration in sectors such as energy, finance, and digital trade.

Statements from Leadership

President Erdogan stated, “We have agreed with Prime Minister Sharif to continue our efforts to reach the $5 billion trade volume target between Turkiye and Pakistan. To this end, we are expanding the scope of our current goods trade agreement as a first step.”

Bilateral trade between Turkiye and Pakistan reached a record $1.4 billion in 2024, marking an increase of almost 30% from the previous year.

Both leaders voiced optimism regarding building on this momentum, with President Erdogan encouraging Turkish investors to more actively participate in Pakistan’s growing market.