Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Minister of National Defence Yasar Guler will visit Pakistan on July 9 as part of efforts to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries and deepen bilateral cooperation for regional peace.
Sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday the Turkish delegation will hold meetings with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar, and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, the army chief.
Türkiye and Pakistan enjoy close bilateral relations in the fields of economy, trade, and defence. The high-level visit is expected to advance bilateral cooperation in the fields of security and counter-terrorism.
Ankara and Islamabad share common strategic interests in regional stability, particularly in the context of problems created by terrorism. The two sides have spoken with one voice over key challenges confronting the Muslim world, especially the Palestinian issue.
The top Turkish officials and their Pakistani counterparts are expected to review the progress made since the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting, which was held in Islamabad in February 2025. They will also review preparations for the next meeting scheduled to be held in Türkiye in 2026.
Türkiye was the first country to reach out to Islamabad and condemn India’s cross-border air strikes that killed 31 civilians at the beginning of the four-day war between the two South Asian countries in May. Ankara has since reiterated its resolve to help support peace and stability in the region.
The Turkish delegation is also expected to discuss measures to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation. The two countries consider the instability in Afghanistan as a direct threat to regional security and stability.
Pakistan supports Türkiye’s fight against terrorist organisations such as FETO, PKK, and Daesh. According to a 2023 report, Türkiye is now Pakistan’s second-largest arms supplier. Ankara fulfilled 11 percent of Islamabad’s total arms needs in 2023 by exporting weaponry and ammunition worth $21 million.
Fidan made his first official visit to Pakistan on May 18-20, 2024. He met Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Dar most recently on June 21-22 in Istanbul during the 51st meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The relations between the two countries were institutionalised at the highest political level through the High-Level Cooperation Council, established in 2009, which was later elevated to the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC).
Within this framework, HLSCC meetings provide an important opportunity to comprehensively address and enhance bilateral relations.
The trade volume between the two countries stands at approximately $1 billion. In 2024, the trade volume reached $1.3 billion, with Turkish exports recorded at $918 million and imports at $440 million.
Total Turkish investments in Pakistan amount to approximately $2 billion. Turkish contracting firms have undertaken 72 projects in Pakistan, with a total value of approximately $3.5 billion.
Initiatives are underway to develop new avenues of cooperation in the fields of energy and critical minerals between the two countries. The Joint Bidding Agreement, signed in April 2025 between Turkish Petroleum Corporation and Pakistan’s three national oil companies, enabling joint oil and gas exploration, is considered a significant step.
