President of Turkey and Prime Minister of Pakistan Meet in Istanbul
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif yesterday at his office in Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace. The meeting, held within the framework of bilateral relations between the two countries, emphasized expanding cooperation in various fields.
During the talks, the two sides discussed increasing trade volume between their nations. Erdoğan stated that Turkey and Pakistan aim to raise their bilateral trade to $5 billion. He also highlighted the importance of enhancing cooperation in energy, transportation, and defense sectors.
Another key topic of the meeting was security cooperation. Turkish and Pakistani officials agreed on the need to strengthen collaboration in counterterrorism, including intelligence sharing and personnel training.
One of the main agenda items was the Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad railway project. Both sides stressed the importance of improving the efficiency of this route to facilitate international transportation. Additionally, Erdoğan praised Pakistan’s stance on the Palestinian issue and outlined Turkey’s efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The presence of high-ranking officials from both countries, including Turkey’s foreign and defense ministers as well as security officials, underscored the strategic importance of these talks. Analysts view this level of engagement as a sign of both nations’ determination to deepen bilateral cooperation.
