ISLAMABAD: Several agreements are expected to be signed between Pakistan and Türkiye as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official residence in Islamabad on Thursday morning to hold bilateral talks.
Erdoğan arrived in Islamabad late Wednesday for a two-day visit to co-chair the 7th session of the Pakistan-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), a forum established in 2009 to enhance bilateral cooperation.
The council oversees joint standing committees covering key sectors such as trade, investment, banking, finance, culture, tourism, energy, defense and agriculture. Six sessions of the HLSCC have taken place since its inception, with the last one held in Islamabad in 2020.
“The Turkish president and the Pakistani prime minister will hold a bilateral meeting, followed by the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council session, where both leaders will lead their respective delegations,” said a statement released by the PM Office before Erdoğan’s arrival at the PM House.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (right) welcomes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at PM House in Islamabad on February 13, 2025. (Photo courtesy: PMO)
“At the Prime Minister’s House, both countries will sign various Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements to enhance cooperation across multiple sectors,” it added.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan receives guard of honor at the PM House in Islamabad on February 13, 2025. (Photo courtesy: PMO)
Erdoğan was received at Nur Khan Airbase by Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Sharif last night.
He is scheduled to hold meetings with the country’s top leadership and address the Pakistan-Türkiye Business and Investment Forum, which will convene leading investors, companies and business leaders from both nations, according to the foreign office.
Ahead of his visit, a Turkish business delegation met with Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to explore investment opportunities.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (center) gestures as he received by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari (left) and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (right) at Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi on February 13, 2025. (PID)
According to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Aurangzeb assured the delegation of the government’s commitment to providing a stable policy framework and continuity to facilitate foreign businesses and investments.
Discussions covered potential areas for collaboration and measures to enhance ease of doing business in Pakistan. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral economic ties, recognizing the mutual benefits of sustained investment and trade partnerships.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and First Lady Emine Erdoğan arrive in Islamabad on February 13, 2025, on a two-day official visit to Pakistan. (PID)
Türkiye and Pakistan enjoy historically close relations and last year agreed to enhance bilateral trade to $5 billion during Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s visit to Islamabad.
Pakistan has been intensifying its outreach to international partners and allies in recent months as it navigates a fragile economic recovery, backed by a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) facility granted in September.
