Islamabad, Pakistan and Turkey have agreed to increase the volume of their bilateral trade to five billion dollars, marking a significant step in strengthening economic ties between the two nations. This decision was made during delegation-level talks held in Islamabad on Monday, which included discussions on a variety of strategic and economic initiatives.

According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, led their respective delegations. In a joint news conference following the talks, Dar outlined plans for the upcoming session of the Pakistan-Turkey High Level Strategic Cooperation Council, which will comprehensively review ongoing cooperation and the bilateral strategic economic framework.

Dar highlighted the long-standing defense collaboration between Pakistan and Turkey, mentioning various joint ventures and mutual support in defending territorial sovereignty and combating terrorism. He also expressed gratitude for Turkey’s consistent support to the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and reiterated Pakistan’s backing for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

For his part, Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan emphasized the deep-rooted friendship and strategic partnership between the two countries, affirming Turkey’s support for Pakistan in its fight against terrorism and regional stability. Fidan described the meeting as fruitful, indicating that both nations are poised to strengthen relations not only in trade but also in defense, investment, banking, science, and technology.

Additionally, the two foreign ministers expressed serious concerns over the ongoing situation in Gaza, calling for a permanent ceasefire and the provision of humanitarian relief to the Palestinian people.