Deputy PM Vows To Improve Pakistan-Turkey Ties

ISLAMABAD – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar underlined Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Turkey, with a particular emphasis on trade, investment, information technology, and defense cooperation.

He stated these ideas during a meeting with Turkish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nuh Yilmaz, who had invited him, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweet on the X account.

Pakistan and Turkey undertake political meetings.

The 7th session of Pakistan-Turkey Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) was held on Monday in Islamabad. Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi and Nuh Yilmaz, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, headed their respective sides.

The two sides reviewed all elements of Pakistan-Turkey bilateral cooperation, including political ties, trade and investment, energy, security and defense, information technology, culture and tourism, education, and consular affairs. Pakistan-Turkey collaboration in multilateral and regional forums was also highlighted.

Given the importance of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), the two sides agreed to hold its seventh session in Islamabad as soon as possible. They expressed delight with the strong collaboration in the fields of defense and security. It was agreed that this relationship would be strengthened further through joint ventures and collaboration on new and emerging technologies.

The two sides agreed to increase bilateral trade volume and strengthen investment collaboration. The two sides will cooperate to fully and effectively implement current agreements, conclude discussions on new accords as soon as possible, and enhance the Pakistan-Turkey Strategic Economic Framework.

Regional and global issues of mutual interest were also addressed. The Foreign Secretary praised Turkey for its consistent and principled support in the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. The two parties also voiced deep concern about Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and genocide against the Palestinian people. They emphasized the necessity for an immediate cease-fire and restated the appeal for the establishment of a viable, independent, and contiguous State of Palestine based on pre-1967 boundaries, with Al Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with bilateral involvement and cooperation at multilateral and regional fora such as the UN, OIC, ECO, and D8. They decided to maintain cooperation efforts at multilateral fora on all issues of mutual importance, including combatting Islamophobia.

Pakistan-Turkey BPCs are an important vehicle for completely reviewing bilateral relations and exploring new areas of collaboration in order to strengthen the historic and strategic connections between the nations.