President Erdogan called the Islamabad MoU important for world peace, the Prime Minister called the bilateral relations historic and exemplary.
A joint press conference was held after the meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul, Turkey, in which both leaders expressed their determination to further strengthen trade, defense, investment and bilateral relations. The Turkish President, while describing the Islamabad MoU as important for world peace, said that Turkey is closely monitoring Israeli aggression to damage this agreement. Addressing a joint press conference with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Istanbul, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he welcomes Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Pakistani delegation on their visit to Turkey. He said that various areas including bilateral relations, regional and global affairs, trade, investment and defense cooperation were discussed in detail in the meeting.
President Erdogan said that Pakistan-Turkey relations are based on strong foundations and both countries have stood by each other in every difficult time. According to him, the current pace of relations between the two countries is satisfactory and cooperation will be further expanded in the future. The Turkish President said that the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (Islamabad MoU) is a very important development for world peace and he congratulates the Pakistani government and people on this success. He said that Turkey is closely monitoring Israeli efforts and aggression to harm this reconciliation process.Criticizing Israel, he said that innocent civilians are still being targeted in Gaza and further aggression cannot be allowed in the region. He said that all countries must make joint efforts for lasting peace in the Middle East.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Pakistan’s steps for peace, development and prosperity are commendable and Turkey will always continue to support these efforts. He said that cooperation between the two countries in Pakistan’s defense industry has progressed significantly and further progress is expected in this sector. The Turkish President said that the two countries have also agreed on the target of increasing the volume of mutual trade to five billion dollars. He said that experts are working on the proposed special industrial zone in Karachi, while the relevant ministries will remain in close contact regarding economic zones. He added that the Turkish business community will be strongly encouraged to invest in Pakistan.
On this occasion, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked the Turkish President and the government for the warm hospitality and said that the relations between the people of Pakistan and Turkey are not only diplomatic but also ties of the heart. He said that the support of the Muslims of the subcontinent in Turkey’s war of independence and Turkey’s help to Pakistan in every difficult time are proof of the historical friendship of the two countries. The Prime Minister said that Turkey has always supported Pakistan during earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters, while Turkey’s assistance in Muzaffargarh and flood-affected areas has become a part of history. He also appreciated Turkey’s cooperation in the rehabilitation of earthquake-affected areas and socio-economic development.
Shahbaz Sharif said that Pakistan and Turkey are two hearts, one soul and the teachings of Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi and Allama Muhammad Iqbal are the intellectual foundation of the relations between the two countries. He said that under the leadership of President Erdogan, Turkey has made extraordinary progress in various fields and Pakistan is proud of this long-standing friendship. The Prime Minister said that very useful meetings were held with Turkish investors and businessmen at the Business to Business Forum, while the talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were comprehensive, positive and constructive. He said that Pakistan and Turkey are determined to achieve the target of taking the bilateral trade volume to $5 billion. The Prime Minister said that Pakistan fully supports Turkey's position on the Cyprus issue, while also thanking the Turkish leadership for its unequivocal and consistent support on the Kashmir issue. He said that the strategic partnership between Pakistan and Turkey will be further strengthened and given a new dimension. Earlier, prominent Turkish business groups met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Istanbul, in which the commitment to strengthen economic cooperation and promote investment was reiterated. The Prime Minister also invited Turkish companies and businessmen to expand the scope of investment in Pakistan's priority sectors including energy, mining and minerals, information technology, agriculture and other sectors.
