Islamabad: Pakistan and Turkiye on Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation across a broad spectrum of sectors, with a renewed goal of enhancing bilateral trade to USD 5 billion, as both countries activated their Joint Strategic Council through a high-level engagement in Islamabad.
The announcement came during separate meetings held between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, as well as Turkish Minister for National Defence Yasar Güler. The Turkish delegation also met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar.
According to an official statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, both sides expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of bilateral relations and agreed to bolster collaboration in trade, defence, energy, culture, infrastructure, and education. Prime Minister Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong commitment to elevating ties with Turkiye, terming the two nations “brotherly partners with shared values and regional interests.”
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Turkish counterpart co-chaired the first meeting of the Joint Commission, which was established in February 2025 under the framework of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC). The Joint Commission is tasked with monitoring the progress of 12 Joint Standing Committees (JSCs) working in key areas of cooperation. Dar confirmed that most JSCs had either convened or were scheduled to meet soon.
The Turkish side welcomed Pakistan’s proposal to set up a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Karachi exclusively for Turkish enterprises. Both countries also reiterated their commitment to revive the Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad (ITI) rail corridor, with technical-level meetings planned in the coming weeks to finalise a roadmap.
Speaking at a joint press briefing, Foreign Minister Dar highlighted progress in several projects involving Turkish firms, including potential investments in the Jinnah Medical Complex, Danish University, offshore energy exploration, and privatisation of state-owned power distribution companies.
On defence cooperation, Dar noted ongoing joint initiatives in capacity building and counterterrorism, and expressed interest in benefiting from Turkiye’s experience in indigenising its defence industry. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reaffirmed Ankara’s support for deepening defence ties, calling it a “strategic step” in response to regional security dynamics.
Later, Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Güler met Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, at Air Headquarters in Islamabad. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the meeting focused on expanding bilateral military cooperation, particularly in joint training and emerging domains of warfare. Both sides committed to enhancing the scale of joint air exercises and strengthening institutional ties between their armed forces.
Turkiye’s support for Pakistan during the recent escalation with India was also acknowledged. Prime Minister Sharif and Foreign Minister Fidan both appreciated the “wisdom-driven” approach adopted by Islamabad during the conflict, with the Turkish side commending the Pakistan Air Force’s operational performance.
In the education sector, progress was reported on the construction of a Maarif Foundation School in Muzaffarabad. A delegation from the Turkish education foundation visited the site on Wednesday. Turkiye currently operates over 80 Maarif schools across Pakistan.
The two sides described the meetings as “productive and forward-looking,” laying the groundwork for the upcoming 8th session of the HLSCC, scheduled to be held in Turkiye next year.
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