ISTANBUL, Saturday, July 4, 2026 (WNP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the Pakistan–Türkiye Strategic Partnership, with a renewed focus on expanding bilateral trade, investment, defence cooperation, energy, connectivity, technology and regional peace.
The understanding was reached during a bilateral meeting at the historic Vahdettin Palace in Istanbul, where the two leaders held wide-ranging discussions on the full spectrum of bilateral relations and exchanged views on key regional and international developments.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, along with senior ministers and officials from both countries, attended the meeting.
The two leaders reaffirmed the historic, time-tested and brotherly relationship between Pakistan and Türkiye and expressed satisfaction over the positive momentum in bilateral ties. They agreed to further accelerate cooperation across strategic sectors, particularly trade and investment, energy, offshore and onshore petroleum exploration, mining and minerals, information technology and connectivity.
Prime Minister Shehbaz and President Erdoğan reiterated their shared determination to achieve the mutually agreed target of US$5 billion in bilateral trade, emphasizing the need to fully harness the immense economic potential between the two countries.
The leaders also held comprehensive discussions on regional and global developments. President Erdoğan appreciated Pakistan’s mediation efforts between Iran and the United States, which culminated in the signing of the historic Islamabad MoU, while Prime Minister Shehbaz thanked the Turkish President for Türkiye’s unwavering support for Pakistan’s peace initiatives. Both leaders underscored the importance of dialogue, diplomacy and sustained international engagement in promoting durable peace, stability and security across the region.
Reaffirming their longstanding positions on issues of mutual national interest, Pakistan and Türkiye also reiterated their steadfast support for each other’s core concerns.
Looking ahead to the 8th High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) meeting, scheduled to be held in Türkiye later this year, Prime Minister Shehbaz extended a cordial invitation to President Erdoğan to undertake an official visit to Pakistan.
In a statement posted on his official X account following the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz described it as “a great pleasure and honour” to meet his “very dear brother” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the historic city of Istanbul.
The Prime Minister said their discussions covered the entire spectrum of the Pakistan–Türkiye Strategic Partnership, with particular emphasis 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.
He thanked President Erdoğan for his warm hospitality and said both leaders had agreed to fully leverage the immense potential of bilateral cooperation to achieve the US$5 billion trade target and elevate the enduring bonds of brotherhood between Pakistan and Türkiye to even greater heights.
Prime Minister Shehbaz also highlighted his participation in the Pakistan–Türkiye Business Conference, where he met leading representatives of Türkiye’s business community.
“Their optimism, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit reinforced my conviction that the economic partnership between Pakistan and Türkiye is entering a new and exciting chapter under President Erdoğan’s visionary leadership,” he said.
The meeting and the Prime Minister’s engagements in Istanbul underscored the shared resolve of Pakistan and Türkiye to further expand their strategic partnership, strengthen economic integration and deepen cooperation for regional peace, prosperity and sustainable development.
