Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was welcomed warmly with a guard of honour on Thursday morning upon his arrival at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad for talks with PM Shehbaz Sharif.
The Turkish president arrived in Islamabad shortly after Thursday midnight and was received by the premier and President Asif Ali Zardari. Both leaders are set to hold meetings with the visiting guest during his official two-day visit.
PM Shehbaz and several federal ministers greeted Erdogan as a formal welcome ceremony was held in his honour at the PM House today, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
A contingent of the armed forces presented a guard of honour to the visiting dignitary, with the national anthems of both countries also played.
Erdogan was also greeted at the PM House by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, with both of them shaking hands. The Turkish president was also presented with a salute comprising various fighter jet formations, including three F-16 aircraft.
Prior to that, the prime minister introduced his cabinet members to the Turkish president, including Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Minister of State for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
Standing in the same queue were members of the visiting Turkish delegation, whom President Erdogan introduced to PM Shehbaz. Erdogan and the prime minister also planted a sapling at the PM House.
According to mediaNewsTV, several cultural dance performances were organised as Erdogan’s motorcade passed by Constitution Avenue in Islamabad, which has been adorned by flags of both countries and banners hailing the friendly ties between both countries.
The government has also prepared a song in praise of the Turkish president, which was aired on various TV channels following the welcome ceremony.
Erdogan’s visit marks the final leg of President Erdogan’s overseas tour, which included stops in Malaysia and Indonesia.
A Foreign Office statement released earlier said that the visit of the Turkish president — accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers, senior officials, and corporate leaders — would last from Feb 12 to 13.
Plans to boost trade
During Erdogan’s visit, both countries are expected to finalise agreements to expand economic cooperation, particularly in trade and investment.
Officials have worked out plans to boost bilateral trade from $1bn to $5bn, with new memorandums of understanding (MoUs) anticipated in trade liberalisation, investment facilitation, and the removal of non-tariff barriers.
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Defence cooperation remains a key pillar of Pakistan-Turkiye relations. According to the 2023 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report, Turkiye is Pakistan’s second-largest arms supplier, accounting for 11pc of its total arms imports. The defence partnership has grown significantly, with joint projects such as the Milgem warships, aircraft modernisation, and drone acquisitions deepening military collaboration.
Both countries have historically faced arms embargoes from Western suppliers, prompting investments in indigenous defence production. Turkiye, now a major arms exporter, views Pakistan as a strategic partner for co-production and technology transfer. High-level military engagements, joint training programmes, and defence manufacturing agreements are expected to be key discussion points.
Erdogan’s visit comes amid Turkiye’s expanding regional influence, particularly following the shifting geopolitical landscape in the Middle East after the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. This transformation presents new strategic and economic opportunities for Pakistan, including potential collaboration in Syria’s post-conflict reconstruction and counterterrorism efforts.
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Turkiye’s strong advocacy for Muslim causes, particularly on Palestine and Kashmir, aligns with Pakistan’s foreign policy objectives. The two leaders are expected to discuss regional security concerns, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and broader political coordination in international forums.
With both countries looking to expand their Strategic Economic Framework (SEF), the visit is expected to facilitate negotiations on digital trade and trade liberalisation, and further tariff concessions under the Trade in Goods Agreement (TGA).
Per the FO statement, PM Shehbaz and President Erdogan would also co-chair the 7th session of the Pakistan-Turkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) session. The council’s last session was held in Islamabad on Feb 13-14, 2020.
More to follow
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