Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has embarked on a two-day official visit to Turkiye on Friday (today) with an aim to further boost friendly ties with the brotherly country. PM Shehbaz Sharif is undertaking this visit at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Alongside President Erdogan, Shehbaz Sharif will jointly inaugurate the third of the four MILGEM Corvette Ships for the Pakistan Navy, PNS Khaibar, at the Istanbul Shipyard. The two leaders will also hold wide-ranging discussions encompassing bilateral relations, the regional situation and other issues of common interest. The prime minister will interact with leaders of the Turkish business community.

The President of the ECO Trade and Development Bank will also call on the Prime Minister during his stay in Istanbul. It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan and Türkiye enjoy fraternal ties deeply embedded in commonalities of faith, culture and history and underpinned by exceptional cordiality and mutual trust. The MILGEM project, based on joint collaboration between the two countries, represents a significant milestone in the Pakistan- Türkiye strategic partnership that continues to progress on an upward trajectory. The launching ceremony for the first Corvette for the Pakistan Navy, PNS Babur, was performed in Istanbul in August last year while the groundbreaking for the Second Ship, PNS Badr, was held at Karachi in May this year.

Frequent leadership-level exchanges are a defining feature of the eternal bonds of Pakistan – Türkiye friendship. The Prime Minister earlier visited Türkiye in May-June this year. Meanwhile, in a tweet PM Shehbaz Sharif said that being in Turkey feels like being home, overwhelmed by the warmth of our Turkish brothers and sisters. He said our bilateral ties have entered a new era of strategic partnership under the leadership of President Erdogan. The prime minister said we are on course to unpack the full untapped potential of relationship.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP