ISTANBUL, Saturday, July 4, 2026 (WNP): President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday lauded Pakistan’s successful diplomatic efforts that culminated in the landmark Islamabad Peace Agreement, reaffirmed Türkiye’s unwavering support for regional peace through dialogue, and pledged to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Türkiye and Pakistan across trade, investment, defence, energy and technology.

Addressing a joint press conference with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif following their bilateral meeting in Istanbul, President Erdoğan warmly welcomed the Pakistani Prime Minister and his delegation, describing Prime Minister Shehbaz as his “dear brother” and reaffirming the deep-rooted fraternal ties between the two countries.

At the outset of his remarks, President Erdoğan expressed heartfelt condolences over the tragic passenger bus accident in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, which claimed numerous lives a day earlier. On behalf of the Government and people of Türkiye, he conveyed sympathies to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the bereaved families and the people of Pakistan.

President Erdoğan said the two leaders held comprehensive discussions covering the full spectrum of bilateral relations as well as key regional and international developments.

Referring to the Islamabad Peace Agreement, President Erdoğan said the entire world had breathed a sigh of relief following the restoration of peace through diplomacy. He noted that recent international media reports had illustrated the extraordinary complexity of the negotiations that ultimately produced the historic agreement.

He congratulated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the people of Pakistan for their significant contribution to achieving this diplomatic breakthrough, describing it as an important success for regional peace and stability.

President Erdoğan reiterated that Türkiye had consistently supported all efforts aimed at reducing tensions in the region through diplomacy and negotiations and would continue to back peaceful initiatives in the future.

He voiced concern over attempts by the Israeli government to undermine the peace process through provocative actions, warning that the region should not be allowed to descend once again into conflict and instability.

Expressing concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, President Erdoğan condemned the continued attacks against civilians and stressed that lasting peace in the Middle East required dialogue, justice and respect for international law.

He emphasized that durable solutions to regional crises could only emerge through the active participation and consent of the countries of the region themselves, adding that Türkiye would continue working in solidarity with Pakistan and other friendly nations to promote peace, stability and shared prosperity.

On bilateral relations, President Erdoğan reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Pakistan across all sectors.

He said both sides had reviewed measures to strengthen trade and investment ties and reaffirmed their shared determination to achieve the previously agreed target of US$5 billion in bilateral trade.

The Turkish President disclosed that the commerce ministries of both countries were jointly working on establishing a Special Economic Zone in Karachi for Turkish investors while negotiations were also continuing to broaden the scope of the existing Preferential Trade Agreement.

President Erdoğan expressed confidence that the Pakistan-Türkiye Business Forum, held earlier in the day with the participation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, would generate fresh momentum for bilateral trade and investment.

He said Türkiye was encouraging its business community to expand investment and commercial activities in Pakistan.

Highlighting defence cooperation as one of the strongest pillars of bilateral relations, President Erdoğan said collaboration in the defence industry continued to deepen through new joint projects that would further enhance Pakistan’s capabilities.

He added that both countries were equally committed to expanding cooperation in energy, transportation, critical minerals and information technology, reaffirming the resolve reached during his discussions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Concluding his remarks, President Erdoğan expressed confidence that the decisions taken during the bilateral meeting would contribute to greater prosperity, peace and well-being for both countries and their peoples while taking the longstanding Türkiye-Pakistan strategic partnership to even greater heights.