Pakistan, Türkiye set $5 billion trade goal

Fidan holds talks; finalizes President Erdogan's visit

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan and Türkiye on Monday finalised preparations for the upcoming visit of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the two countries agreed to further strengthen their cooperation, setting a $5 billion bilateral trade target.

Foreign Minister of Türkiye Hakan Fidan travelled to Islamabad ahead of the high-level visit and held formal talks with his Pakistani counterpart, called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and met Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir.

This was the first visit of Fidan since he was appointed Türkiye’s foreign minister and it was part of the preparation of upcoming high-level engagement between the two countries.

A statement issued here by the Foreign Office said deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Senator Ishaq Dar on Monday held comprehensive talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye Hakan Fidan.

The two sides reviewed the state of bilateral relations and agreed to further strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, investment, defence and security domains. They also assessed preparations for the upcoming 7th session of the Pakistan-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) to be held in Islamabad in the near future.

Strategic Cooperation Council is the highest forum between the two countries and is co-chaired by Türkiye’s president and the Pakistani prime minister. The last meeting of the high-level council was held in Islamabad in February 2020.

Read Turkish FM Hakan Fidan arrives in Islamabad on official visit

Speaking at a joint news conference, Dar and Fidan said both countries agreed to take the annual bilateral trade from existing one billion dollars to five billion dollars.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said they had reviewed bilateral cooperation including trade, investment, connectivity and defence.

He said the strategic and comprehensive bilateral relations were manifested by elaborate institutional mechanisms and high-level exchanges.

Fidan told reporters Pakistan was a strategic partner of Türkiye as there had been an “unshakeable friendship and brotherhood between the two people who always supported each other.”

He said both sides decided in principle to broaden and strengthen ties in trade, defence, investment, banking science and technology and innovation.

Read more Pakistan demands unconditional Gaza ceasefire

Dar appreciated Türkiye's firm and consistent support for the oppressed people of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). He also reiterated Pakistan’s support for the legitimate rights of the people of Northern Cyprus.

The two ministers also discussed regional and global developments, especially the ongoing genocide and the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

They stressed the need for an urgent and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and the provision of urgent humanitarian relief for the besieged Palestinian people.They reiterated the imperative for the creation of an independent Palestinian state for lasting peace in the Middle East. The two leaders also discussed the need to combat Islamophobia and stressed the urgency of addressing it in a holistic manner.

“Pakistan and Türkiye enjoy special bonds of friendship and brotherhood rooted in history, culture and religion. Regular dialogue and exchange of high-level visits are the hallmark of Pakistan-Türkiye robust bilateral relations,” the foreign office statement said.

Meanwhile, the Turkish foreign minister met COAS General Syed Asim Munir and commended the Pakistan Army’s role in maintaining peace and stability in the region.

During the meeting, matters of mutual interest came under discussion, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release said.

Both sides expressed their satisfaction with the deep-rooted relations between the two countries, founded on historic, cultural, and religious bonds, the statement noted.