ISTANBUL – Pakistan and Türkiye pledged a major expansion of their strategic partnership, announcing ambitious plans to elevate bilateral trade, deepen defense collaboration, attract large-scale Turkish investment, and strengthen regional diplomacy during high-level talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Istanbul’s Vahdettin Palace.
Islamabad and Ankara reaffirmed their commitment to raising annual bilateral trade to $5 billion, a target first agreed upon in 2024, while directing their respective trade ministries to accelerate work on a dedicated Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Karachi designed exclusively to facilitate Turkish businesses and investors.
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As part of broader efforts to unlock commercial potential, both sides are also working to expand the existing Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) by reducing trade barriers and improving market access. President Erdogan identified energy, transportation, information technology, and critical minerals as key sectors that will shape the next phase of Pakistan-Türkiye economic cooperation.
Regional diplomacy emerged as another defining feature of the visit, with President Erdogan commending Pakistan’s role in facilitating dialogue between the United States and Iran.
Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement contributed to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, signed on June 18, which brought an end to the US-Iran conflict after weeks of negotiations. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the peace process as one of the most demanding diplomatic challenges Pakistan had undertaken, saying the breakthrough would have been nearly impossible without Türkiye’s unwavering support throughout the negotiations.
He said the agreement has the potential to reshape the regional security landscape while creating new economic opportunities across the wider region.
President Erdogan voiced concern over what he described as attempts by the current Israeli government to undermine the newly established US-Iran peace process. He criticized Israel’s continued military operations in Gaza and argued that lasting stability in the Middle East can only be achieved through collective efforts led by regional countries rather than external actors.
Defense cooperation remained key pillar of bilateral ties. Erdogan said joint defense projects are progressing steadily and would continue to reinforce Pakistan’s defense capabilities through long-term collaboration.
At Pakistan-Türkiye Business-to-Business (B2B) forum, Prime Minister Shehbaz described Türkiye as one of Pakistan’s most reliable allies, recalling the historic support extended by Muslims of the Indian subcontinent during Türkiye’s War of Independence. He said the enduring bond between the two nations should now translate into stronger economic integration and commercial partnerships.
PM praised Türkiye’s industrial transformation over the past two decades, crediting President Erdogan’s leadership for building globally competitive automobile and defense manufacturing industries.
PM Shehbaz Sharif lands in Türkiye with Investment, Trade on agenda
