ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, expanding economic cooperation and supporting regional peace during a joint news briefing in Istanbul.
Welcoming Sharif and his delegation, Erdogan said the two leaders held comprehensive discussions on bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues.
"We expressed satisfaction with the pace of relations between our two countries," Erdogan said, adding that Türkiye and Pakistan would "always stand by each other."
The Turkish president described the Islamabad Memorandum as an important initiative for promoting global peace and said Türkiye would continue to support efforts aimed at peace, stability and prosperity.
Erdogan also praised Pakistan's initiatives for promoting peace, development and regional prosperity.
The two leaders discussed ways to expand bilateral trade, investment and broader economic cooperation, with Erdogan saying the relevant ministries of both countries would maintain close coordination on the development of special economic zones.
He added that Türkiye would encourage its business community to increase investment in Pakistan and expressed confidence that both countries would continue working together toward a more prosperous future.
More read, Pakistan invites Turkish firms to expand investment across key sectors
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with senior executives of leading Turkish business groups and industry organizations in Istanbul, inviting them to expand investments in Pakistan and reaffirming his government’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with Türkiye.
During separate meetings with Çalık Holding Chairman Ahmet Çalık, Albayrak Group Chairman Ahmet Albayrak and Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB) President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Sharif emphasized the importance of transforming the longstanding political ties between the two countries into a stronger economic and investment partnership.
The prime minister highlighted Pakistan’s improving macroeconomic indicators, investor-friendly policy framework and the government’s commitment to ensuring a transparent, predictable and business-friendly investment climate.
