Pakistan and Turkey have reaffirmed their commitment to stand by each other and pledged to raise bilateral trade to $5 billion. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made the announcement at a joint press conference following their meeting in Istanbul on Saturday.
Five defense-related agreements were signed during the meeting, including cooperation in defense industries and military training.
According to Sharif, bilateral trade between the two countries has grown from $500 million to $1.2 billion over the past two years, but both leaders agreed there is “unlimited potential” for further growth.
Turkey has stood by Pakistan in difficult times, Sharif said. He credited Erdogan’s support for enabling Pakistan to serve as a mediator in the US-Iran conflict. He added that with the ceasefire now in effect, it is essential to make full use of the opportunity for peace.
Erdogan called for collaboration on major defense projects and said Turkey aims to further strengthen ties with Pakistan. He also praised the steps being taken in the region toward lasting peace and stability.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report