Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday addressed a joint press conference in Ankara after the two leaders held a one-on-one meeting during which they agreed to take the bilateral ties to new heights by enhancing cooperation in diverse fields, APP reported.
In his speech, PM Shehbaz said that the relationship between the two countries was "embedded deep into history and shaped by shared goals."
The prime minister termed his meeting with President Erdogan "very productive," expressing hope that under the dynamic leadership of the president, the bilateral relations would scale to new heights.
PM Shehbaz stresses on industrial collaboration with Turkey
The premier also invited the Turkish President to visit Pakistan to benefit from the "immense economic opportunities that the country has to offer."
In his remarks, Shehbaz said that the leadership of the two countries will next meet in September. “We will try to benefit from Turkey’s experience in the fields of e-commerce, education, and infrastructure.”
President Erdogan in his speech said that during his meeting with PM Shehbaz, regional and international issues of interest were discussed in detail.
He said that both countries have agreed to enhance the scope of bilateral ties.
President Erdogan said that a high-level meeting would be held in Islamabad in September, which would further provide an opportunity for both countries to further foster bilateral ties.
The President stressed that the close friendship and cooperation between the two countries would be further strengthened.
Grievances of Turkish firms: PM orders urgent redressal
Earlier, the two leaders also witnessed the signing of various agreements and MoUs for enhanced cooperation in diverse areas of mutual interests.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, the premier invited the Turkish investors to explore Pakistan’s diverse sectors, particularly the energy sector offering immense opportunities and scope for development.
Addressing the Pakistan Turkey Business Council under the DEIK – Foreign Economic Relations Board, the prime minister said Pakistan’s energy sector with its vast potential in hydel, thermal, coal, wind, and solar areas could prove ideal for Turkish investors.
PM Sharif said a number of leading Turkish investors had already made investments in Pakistan, and assured full cooperation by his government to pursue their projects.
"Given the growing energy needs and high global energy prices, Pakistan direly needs improvement in its energy sector and emphasized that the Turkish investment would be a win-win situation," he said.
PM Shehbaz said that Pakistan could benefit from Turkey’s expertise in building and managing dams for water conservation.
He said Pakistan-Turkey relations are built on unbreakable bonds of love, affection, and respect as the two countries shared a history, century-old tradition, and common aspirations.
He mentioned that the two nations always stood with each other at all times, and added that their relations were marked by extreme cordiality and exceptional mutual trust.
PM Sharif said Pakistan and Turkey must engage with renewed resolve and commitment to building upon this solid foundation, to take this relationship to new heights, particularly in the vital fields of commercial, economic, and investment cooperation.
He also emphasized that Turkish textile companies could explore the sector for joint ventures, especially for intra-industry trade as well as becoming partners in regional and global value chains.
He also invited the Turkish firms relating to the agro-industrial sector and dairy farming and said ample opportunities existed in these sectors.
The prime minister stressed that Pakistani and Turkish companies could also work together in the oil and gas sector.
They could collaborate not only in exploration and production but in building refineries and pipelines, he said.