By: Arab news

Senior officials of Pakistan and Turkiye on Tuesday pledged to deepen defense and economic ties, agreeing on new initiatives in energy, technology and agriculture during a ministerial meeting in Islamabad. 

The joint ministerial commission’s 16th meeting was co-chaired by Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Turkiye’s Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler. The engagement is a sign of growing cooperation between both nations, who have resolved recently to enhance defense, economic and investment relations, and announced plans to expand bilateral trade to $5 billion. 

“An agreement has been reached to enhance cooperation in renewable energy, oil, gas, and LNG sectors,” the commerce ministry said in a statement. 

Khan said defense cooperation is the hallmark of Pakistan’s ties with Turkiye, noting that the two sides had held discussions on boosting defense technology, joint production, and capacity building cooperation. 

“Agriculture, food security, and health have been identified as new areas of cooperation,” the statement added. 

The Pakistani commerce ministry said special emphasis was placed on boosting cooperation in IT, e-commerce, fintech, and artificial intelligence. Both sides also announced collaboration in workforce, media, culture, and tourism sectors, while Pakistan said it would facilitate Turkish investors in its special economic zones. 

“Both sides resolved to transform Pakistan–Türkiye ties into a productive economic partnership,” the statement said. 

Pakistan and Turkiye have moved closer since Ankara’s public support for Islamabad during its four-day skirmish with India in May. The military forces of the two Muslim-majority countries have since then resolved to forge stronger ties in defense and trade amid regional tensions. 

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Güler arrived in Pakistan in July for high-level discussions with political and military leaders. The visit was described by Pakistan’s foreign office as a sign of “deepening strategic ties” with Ankara. It said the visit included consultations on regional stability, trade expansion, and defense modernization.