Turkish Foreign Minister and Defence Minister call on PM Shehbaz 

Islamabad: Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, Hakan Fidan and Minister for National Defence of the Republic of Türkiye Yasar Guler call on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on 9 July 2025.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, Hakan Fidan, and the Minister of National Defence, Yasar Güler, called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad today. The Prime Minister was joined by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Chief of the Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, National Security Advisor Lt. General Muhammad Asim Malik and other senior officials.

While welcoming the Turkish delegation, the Prime Minister underscored the longstanding familial ties between Pakistan and Türkiye, that remain deeply rooted in shared history, culture, and mutual respect. He expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of bilateral relations and reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to further strengthening cooperation with Türkiye in diverse fields, including trade, investment, technology, and defence.

Recalling his interactions with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the year, including the most recent meeting between the two leaders on the margins of the 17thECO Summit, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm resolve to transform Pak-Turkiye relations into a strategic partnership in the days to come.

Welcoming the convening of the Joint Commission’s meeting, co-chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the Prime Minister expressed hope that bilateral relations between the two countries would attain further momentum, leading to the bolstering of cooperation in multifaceted areas.

While reiterating the commitment of both countries to continue their strong and unwavering support for each other’s core interests, the Prime Minister emphasised the need for closer coordination between the two sides amidst the fast-evolving regional and global environment, particularly in the context of Gaza and Iran. He once again expressed his deepest gratitude to the Turkish nation and leadership for their steadfast support of Pakistan during the recent Indian aggression.

The Prime Minister stressed the need for concerted efforts by both sides to enhance bilateral trade to attain the mutually agreed target of USD 5 billion. Highlighting Pakistan’s investor-friendly policies, he invited Turkish companies to expand their investment footprint in Pakistan and invited the Turkish side to share its expertise to assist in Pakistan’s structural reforms, economic growth and development efforts.