PM Shehbaz Sharif Leaves for Turkey on Two-Day Visit with Senior Officials

ISLAMABAD (RNN TV) — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has departed for a two-day official visit to Turkey at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, aimed at deepening the strategic partnership between the two nations.

Accompanied by a high-level delegation — including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistant to the PM Tariq Fatemi — the visit will focus on strengthening economic, defence, and diplomatic cooperation.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Shehbaz will engage in wide-ranging talks with President Erdogan, covering bilateral relations as well as regional and global developments.

“Pakistan and Turkey enjoy a deep-rooted bond, reflected through frequent high-level engagements,” the statement noted, calling the visit a continuation of this enduring partnership and a step toward expanding collaboration across key sectors.

This visit follows President Erdogan’s February trip to Islamabad, where he co-chaired the 7th session of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC). That session resulted in the signing of 24 MoUs and a renewed commitment to boost bilateral trade to $5 billion.

Key outcomes of the previous dialogue included expanding the Trade in Goods Agreement (TGA), enhancing defence ties, encouraging Turkish investment in Pakistan, and operationalising the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul trade corridor.

In 2024, trade between the two countries hit a record $1.4 billion — a nearly 30% increase from the previous year. Both leaders are expected to discuss steps to build on this momentum.

“We have agreed with Prime Minister Sharif to continue efforts toward our $5 billion trade volume goal,” President Erdogan had said earlier, expressing optimism about deepening economic ties between the two nations.

Source: Web Desk