ISTANBUL, Saturday, July 4, 2026 (WNP): Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday hailed the Islamabad Agreement as a major diplomatic breakthrough that eased regional tensions, saying the entire world had “taken a deep breath” following the restoration of calm, while reaffirming Türkiye’s unwavering commitment to deepening its strategic partnership with Pakistan across defence, trade, energy, technology and regional peace.

In a statement posted on his official X account following his meeting with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Istanbul, President Erdoğan said he was delighted to host the Pakistani Prime Minister and his delegation, describing Shehbaz Sharif as his “brother” and reaffirming the enduring friendship between the two countries.

“I was delighted to host the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, my brother Mr. Shehbaz Sharif, and his esteemed delegation in Istanbul,” President Erdoğan said.

He noted that their discussions covered bilateral relations in detail, alongside key regional and global developments.

Referring to the recently concluded Islamabad Agreement, President Erdoğan said the restoration of calm had been welcomed internationally.

“Thanks to the calm achieved with the Islamabad Agreement, the entire world has taken a deep breath,” he said.

The Turkish President reaffirmed Ankara’s longstanding support for diplomatic initiatives aimed at reducing regional tensions and resolving disputes peacefully.

“We have supported, and continue to support, every step that contributes to reducing tensions in our region and resolving problems through diplomacy,” he said.

President Erdoğan also expressed concern over what he described as efforts by the Israeli government to undermine the peace process through provocative actions.

“We are closely monitoring the provocations by the Israeli administration aimed at sabotaging the agreement,” he said, adding that the “war-addicted Israeli government” should not be allowed to plunge the region back into conflict and instability.

He reiterated Türkiye’s vision of a peaceful Middle East where people of all faiths could live together in security and mutual respect.

“Türkiye desires the establishment of an environment in which all the inhabitants of the region, regardless of their faith, can live in peace and security. We are making every effort to establish such an environment,” he said.

President Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye would continue working closely with Pakistan and other friendly countries to promote lasting peace, stability and prosperity across the region.

“We will continue to work in solidarity with our brotherly countries, particularly Pakistan, to strengthen peace, stability and prosperity in our region,” he said.

Highlighting the growing momentum in bilateral relations, President Erdoğan said Türkiye’s solidarity with Pakistan continued across all sectors and reaffirmed the shared objective of increasing bilateral trade to US$5 billion.

“Our solidarity with Pakistan continues in every field. We reaffirmed our goal of increasing our trade volume to the previously set level of five billion dollars,” he said.

The Turkish President said both countries were committed to expanding cooperation in strategic sectors, including energy, transportation, critical minerals and information technology.

“We want to deepen our cooperation with Pakistan in the areas of energy, transportation, critical minerals and information technologies,” he added.

President Erdoğan described defence cooperation as one of the strongest pillars of bilateral economic relations, noting that joint projects in the defence industry were advancing steadily.

“Our cooperation in the defence industry, one of the most important elements of our economic relations, is developing day by day with new projects,” he said.

Expressing confidence in the future of bilateral defence collaboration, President Erdoğan said the projects being implemented jointly would further strengthen Pakistan’s capabilities.

“I believe that these projects, which we are implementing step by step, will add strength to Pakistan’s strength,” he said.

The Turkish President’s remarks reinforced the shared commitment of Ankara and Islamabad to expanding their longstanding strategic partnership, strengthening economic integration, enhancing defence collaboration and working together for regional peace, stability and sustainable development.