PM Shehbaz arrives in Turkiye on official visit

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in Istanbul for an official visit to Turkiye, extending an invitation from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The visit commenced shortly after Sharif attended the funeral of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly assassinated in a U.S.-Israeli strike on February 28.

Upon arrival at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, Prime Minister Sharif was welcomed by Turkish Minister of Trade Professor Dr. Omer Bolat, Pakistan's Ambassador to Turkiye Dr. Yusuf Junaid, and officials from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Pakistani embassy. The prime minister is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar.

The agenda for the meeting between Prime Minister Sharif and President Erdogan includes detailed discussions on all facets of bilateral relations. A particular emphasis will be placed on enhancing cooperation in trade and investment. The leaders are also expected to exchange views on regional peace and security matters.

During his stay in Istanbul, Prime Minister Sharif is scheduled to address a business conference hosted by Pakistan. The conference aims to highlight investment opportunities in key sectors such as special economic zones (SEZs), energy, information technology, and privatization. The event is anticipated to draw prominent Turkish business leaders, investors, senior government officials, and other distinguished guests.

Pakistan and Turkiye share strong bilateral ties, rooted in common cultural, religious, and historical bonds, alongside mutual respect. This visit follows recent high-level consultations in Istanbul where Pakistan and Turkiye signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to boost collaboration in the power sector. These agreements focus on institutional collaboration, technical cooperation, and knowledge sharing between energy sector entities of both nations.