Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will arrive here on Thursday on a two-day visit on the invitation of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
President Erdogan will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising cabinet members and senior government officials as well as heads and CEOs of leading Turkish corporations.
During the visit, Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Erdogan will have tete-a-tete, after which they will co-chair the sixth session of the Pakistan-Turkey High Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) in the joint cabinet format. At the conclusion of the session, a joint declaration will be signed. A number of important agreements and MoUs are expected to be concluded. The two leaders will have a joint press stakeout, the Foreign Office said in a statement issued here on Wednesday.
Besides holding a separate meeting with President Dr Arif Alvi, President Erdogan will also address a joint session of the parliament of Pakistan. Together with Prime Minister Imran Khan, President Erdogan will address the Pakistan-Turkey Business and Investment Forum which brings together leading investors and business people from both sides.
The High Level Strategic Cooperation Council is the highest level decision making forum, providing strategic direction to further strengthening of relations between the two countries. There are seven joint working groups (JWGs) working under the HLSCC, focused on political coordination, trade and investment, energy, banking and finance, transport and communications, culture and tourism and education. So far, five sessions of the HLSCC have been held, alternately in Islamabad and Ankara.
Pakistan and Turkey have a unique and abiding relationship characterised by mutual support and exceptional trust and understanding. The two brotherly countries have always been each other’s steadfast partners. Turkey supports the cause of self-determination for the people of Indian-held Kashmir and Pakistan stands by Turkey on the question of Cyprus.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Erdogan, Pakistan-Turkey relations have fortified into an enduring partnership. Both sides place a strong emphasis on forging a robust economic relationship. There is also a joint resolve to translate historic amity into vibrant cooperation in diverse fields, including in the context of combating Islamophobia, promoting Islamic solidarity, and advancing shared goals of regional peace, security and stability.
The visit of President Erdogan will serve to underscore the traditional solidarity and affinity between the two countries, and prove to be another significant milestone in the further deepening and broadening of the flourishing Pakistan-Turkey strategic partnership, the statement concluded.
