(MENAFN) Turkish Leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed Pakistani Premier Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday evening during an official gathering at the Dolmabahce Working Office located in Istanbul.

As shared by the Turkish Communications Directorate, the two leaders exchanged views on a variety of subjects including bilateral cooperation between Türkiye and Pakistan, as well as significant regional and international developments.

In their discussions, Erdogan expressed a firm commitment to enhancing the partnership between the two nations, highlighting their ambition to reach a USD5 billion trade volume.

He stressed the necessity of reinforcing collaboration across several domains, particularly in energy, transport infrastructure, and military defense.

Erdogan also pointed out the mutual benefits of bolstering cooperation in sectors such as education, intelligence exchange, and technological assistance as part of the broader counterterrorism efforts.

He emphasized the importance of boosting solidarity between the two countries for the greater good.

He further underscored the need to optimize the Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad railway for improved regional connectivity.

Additionally, he mentioned that taking tangible steps in the education sector would positively impact the bilateral relationship.

Erdogan also praised Pakistan’s consistent position on the Palestinian matter, reiterating that Türkiye is actively working to ensure humanitarian aid reaches Gaza promptly.

Present alongside President Erdogan were several senior officials, including Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yasar Guler, National Intelligence Director Ibrahim Kalin, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, Presidential Foreign Policy and Security Advisor Akif Cagatay Kilic, and Turkish Land Forces Commander General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu.

MENAFN26052025000045017167ID1109594038