Islamabad (TDI): Pakistan and Turkiye on Thursday agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in multiple fields including defense, economy, science, education and health besides reiterating the efforts to achieve the goal of $5 billion bilateral trade volume.
The bilateral relations and collaboration were discussed during the meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Seventh session of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council encompassing wide-ranging areas including trade, investment, defense, agriculture, education, energy, science and technology, and infrastructure.
The two leaders, addressing a joint press stakeout, following their bilateral and HLSCC meetings, told the media that they reaffirmed to fight against terrorism considering it their common enemy.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his remarks, said that both sides discussed a range of matters including trade, strategic and defense collaboration and inked accords for cooperation, including for a special economic zone to be built by a Turkish firm.
Welcoming the Turkish president who was visiting Pakistan after 5 years, he said that the bilateral ties were not carved out after Pakistan’s independence but went back centuries.
He said during the Turkish Independence movement, the Muslims of the subcontinent, fully backed the Turkish people who also reciprocated with even greater compassion and magnanimity.
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He said that be it was earthquake or floods, Turkiye stood by Pakistan through thick and thin.
The prime minister recalled President Erdogan and the First Lady’s trip to Pakistan’s flood-hit areas in 2010 and support for the reconstruction of houses and schools.
He viewed that President Erdogan’s trip would take the friendship to new heights.
PM Shehbaz said that Erdogan is a highly respected Muslim world leader who has strong stance on issues like Gaza, Palestine and Kashmir.
“Turkiye always supported Pakistan in the just cause of Kashmir. Similarly, Pakistan fully supported the cause of Northern Cyprus and stood by Turkiye in this cause in an unwavering fashion,” he said.
Turkish President Erdogan, in his remarks, said that the HLSCC was the highest-level mechanism to institutionalize the centuries-old friendship.
He said in the HLSCC meeting, both sides agreed to strengthen relations.
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He said that in his bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz, discussed bilateral, regional and global developments.
President Erdogan encouraged Turkish investors to engage more in Pakistan and develop flagship projects.
He added that both sides had agreed to continue efforts to reach the goal of 5 billion dollars trade volume and considered expanding the scope of the Goods Trade Agreement in the first stage.
