Istanbul: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the historic brotherly relations between Pakistan and Trkiye with enhanced cooperation in trade, investment, energy, information technology and regional peace.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is on an official visit to Istanbul, held a bilateral meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Vahdettin Palace. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, along with ministers and senior officials from both countries, attended the meeting.
During their warm and cordial discussions, the two leaders expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their shared resolve to further expand cooperation in trade and investment, energy, offshore and onshore petroleum exploration, mines and minerals, and information technology.
Both leaders reiterated their commitment to achieving the mutually agreed bilateral trade target of US$5 billion.
The two leaders also exchanged views on important regional and global developments. President Erdogan appreciated Pakistan’s mediation efforts between Iran and the United States, which resulted in the signing of the historic Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked President Erdogan for Trkiye’s unwavering support for Pakistan’s peace efforts.
They also appreciated the close diplomatic coordination between the two countries during the peace process and underscored the importance of sustained efforts to ensure durable and lasting peace in the region.
The Prime Minister and the Turkish President reaffirmed Pakistan and Trkiye’s steadfast support for each other’s core national interests.
Looking ahead to the 8th High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) meeting to be held in Trkiye later this year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended a warm invitation to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to undertake an official visit to Pakistan.