PM Shehbaz leaves for two day official visit to Ankara

PM Shehbaz leaves for two day official visit to Ankara where he will hold high level meetings for strengthening bilateral relations.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has departed for Ankara to hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, focusing on bilateral relations and the regional landscape, according to a statement from his office.

The strong cultural, historical, and defense ties between Pakistan and Turkiye are now being broadened to include cooperation in trade, economic development, and investment, as both countries seek to grow their economies.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, Prime Minister Sharif will engage in in-depth discussions with President Erdogan on enhancing bilateral cooperation and share perspectives on recent regional and global developments.

This visit continues the active diplomatic engagement between the two nations and reflects a mutual commitment to advancing their diverse and strategic partnership.

Pakistan and Turkiye, as trusted allies and strategic collaborators, regularly engage in high-level dialogues, institutionalized through platforms like the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC).

The most recent HLSCC meeting was the 7th session, held in Islamabad on February 12-13 this year, co-chaired by Sharif and Erdogan, reinforcing top-level coordination.

Sharif’s office reiterated that this upcoming meeting reflects both countries’ determination to strengthen their comprehensive partnership and build on previous high-level dialogues.

A Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between the two countries has been in effect since August 2022, offering tariff reductions on selected goods, and both sides aim to expand trade volume to $5 billion.

Although bilateral trade has shown growth, Turkiye and Pakistan are not yet among each other’s top trading partners. Negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement are also underway.

In 2023, Pakistan’s exports to Turkiye amounted to $352.1 million, while its imports were $250.8 million. In 2024, Turkiye’s major exports to Pakistan included lead, meat, and artwork, while Pakistan exported items like explosives, zinc, meat, and fur skins.