Pakistan, Turkey Vow to Increase Bilateral Trade to $5 Billion

ISTANBUL — Pakistan and Turkey have expressed their commitment to increasing bilateral trade to $5 billion, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif saying the two countries have always stood by each other through every difficulty. Addressing a joint press conference in Istanbul on Saturday following talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, PM Shehbaz described Pakistan and Turkey as “one nation in two bodies.”
Thanking President Erdoğan for the warm welcome, the prime minister called Istanbul a beautiful blend of East and West and recalled that the subcontinent’s Muslims had strongly supported Turkey’s war of independence, with women donating their jewelry for the cause. He also recalled the flood relief efforts by Erdoğan and his wife in Muzaffargarh, including the donation of the First Lady’s own necklace, which won the hearts of the Pakistani people. He said key meetings were held with Turkish business figures at a B2B forum, with discussions on boosting investment in special economic zones. The prime minister thanked Turkey for supporting Pakistan’s position on Cyprus and for its clear stance on the Kashmir issue.
In his remarks, President Erdoğan welcomed PM Shehbaz and his delegation and expressed condolences over a recent accident in Balochistan that claimed several lives. He described the Islamabad peace agreement as highly significant for regional stability, saying the entire world had breathed a sigh of relief because of it. Erdoğan expressed Turkey’s interest in expanding cooperation with Pakistan in defense, energy, IT, transportation, and minerals, and accused Israel’s leadership of stoking regional tensions for its own political survival. He reaffirmed Turkey’s continued support for peace and prosperity in the region.