Pakistan is moving ahead with its plan to involve Turkish expertise in making Gwadar Port fully operational, as part of broader efforts to strengthen its strategic partnership with Turkiye. During Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit to Turkiye, he held talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan focused on expanding cooperation in vital areas such as infrastructure development, defence, privatisation, and water resource management.
In line with these discussions, Prime Minister Sharif instructed the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to explore options for Turkish involvement in Gwadar Port operations. This initiative aims to boost the port’s efficiency and reinforce Pakistan’s role in international trade routes.
To ensure smooth implementation, an oversight committee will be established within the Prime Minister’s Office to track progress on all Pak-Turkiye joint initiatives. In addition, the Prime Minister directed relevant ministries to increase Turkish participation in the privatisation of key assets, particularly in airport operations, assigning responsibilities to the Ministry of Privatisation and Ministry of Defence to coordinate with Turkish firms.
He also emphasized the timely payment for the MILGEM-class warships, underlining the importance of advancing naval cooperation between Pakistan and Turkiye.
Further, Prime Minister Sharif directed the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, along with the Ministry of National Health Services, to involve Turkish consultants in significant national projects such as the Jinnah Medical Complex and Danish University.
The Petroleum Division and the Ministry of Water Resources have been instructed to bring in Turkish specialists to assist with offshore drilling and improving water storage infrastructure.
Moreover, the Power Division, the Privatisation Division, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been tasked with engaging Turkish experts to support the privatisation process of power distribution companies (Discos).
Finally, the Chief Secretary of Azad Jammu and Kashmir has been ordered to allocate land in Muzaffarabad for the Maarif Foundation to build a school, with Prime Minister Sharif planning to personally present the allotment letter to the Turkish Ambassador in Islamabad.
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