Monitoring Desk
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday began his four-nation diplomatic tour with a high-level visit to Turkiye, where he met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to reaffirm bilateral ties, advance strategic cooperation, and thank Ankara for its support during recent tensions with India.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, both leaders reiterated their “principled support” for each other’s core concerns, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, and conducted a comprehensive review of bilateral relations.
During the meeting, the two sides committed to elevating the strategic partnership and emphasized the need for enhanced cooperation in key sectors such as renewable energy, IT, defence production, infrastructure, and agriculture. The leaders agreed to accelerate efforts toward achieving the earlier agreed annual trade target of $5 billion.
The talks also included a review of progress on the implementation of decisions taken during the 7th session of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), held in Islamabad earlier this year.
On regional developments, both leaders condemned the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, urgently calling for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access to the besieged Palestinian population.
The Pakistani delegation included Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistant Syed Tariq Fatemi. They also participated in a delegation-level meeting chaired jointly by the two leaders.
PM Shehbaz expressed deep gratitude to the Turkish leadership and people for standing by Pakistan during its recent military escalation with India. He hailed Turkiye’s principled position and public support, describing it as a source of “great comfort and strength.”
Highlighting the outcome of Pakistan’s recent military operations, the Prime Minister praised the armed forces’ resolve, discipline, and patriotism, citing their role in the success of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos and the decisive events of Marak-i-Haq.
Upon his arrival in Istanbul, PM Shehbaz was warmly received by Turkish Defence Minister Yashar Guler, senior provincial officials, and Pakistani diplomats, including Ambassador Yousaf Junaid and Consul General Nouman Aslam.
After his two-day visit to Turkiye, the Prime Minister will travel to Iran, Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan. In Tajikistan, the final stop of the tour, he is scheduled to attend the International Conference on Glaciers in Dushanbe on May 29–30.
This diplomatic outreach comes just two weeks after a US-brokered ceasefire between Pakistan and India, following a brief but tense military standoff. The Iranian foreign minister had also visited both capitals during the crisis in a bid to mediate.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also held a separate phone call with Uzbek Foreign Minister Saidov Bakhtiyor Odilovich, discussing bilateral ties and expressing optimism over the early finalisation of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Line Project. The two sides exchanged views on regional developments and reaffirmed commitment to regional connectivity.
