President Erdoğan acknowledged Pakistan’s vocal condemnation of the brutality in Gaza.
Pakistan & Turkiye Condemn Gaza Atrocities; Vow Stronger Ties and Joint Anti-Terror Efforts. Pakistan and Turkiye have strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli atrocities in Gaza, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reaffirmed support for Pakistan’s efforts to eliminate all forms of terrorism.
Following a meeting in Ankara, President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a joint press conference.
Erdoğan praised Pakistan’s firm stance against terrorism and expressed Türkiye’s full support for its anti-terrorism efforts.
He emphasized initiating joint defense projects and noted that both nations share aligned views on global matters. Erdoğan reiterated support for an independent Palestinian state and condemned the violence in Gaza, calling for an immediate end to the aggression. He described the strong ties between Pakistan and Türkiye as a symbol of deep friendship.
President Erdoğan acknowledged Pakistan’s vocal condemnation of the brutality in Gaza.
PM Shehbaz Sharif
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed pleasure over meeting the Turkish President again and praised his visionary leadership that led Türkiye to great progress.
He thanked Erdoğan for Türkiye’s unwavering support for Pakistan and also sought Türkiye’s cooperation in ongoing anti-terror operations. Referring to recent attacks in Balochistan, the PM blamed banned outfits TTP and BLA, requesting Türkiye’s support in eliminating them.
Shehbaz emphasized the need for global cooperation to ensure peace, stating that the situation in the Middle East and Gaza is extremely alarming, where innocent children, women, and men are being martyred.
He described President Erdoğan as a visionary leader under whose leadership Türkiye continues to advance. The PM also thanked the Turkish President for visiting Pakistan during the devastating floods of 2010 and again in 2022.
The PM noted that both countries have agreed to initiate joint ventures in various sectors. He expressed gratitude for Türkiye’s support in counter-terrorism and highlighted cooperation in energy, mining, minerals, and IT sectors.
He strongly condemned the killing of 50,000 innocent lives in Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire. He also thanked Türkiye for its unwavering support on the Kashmir issue and voiced support for Türkiye’s stance on Northern Cyprus.
He urged immediate humanitarian aid for Gaza and called for a permanent resolution to the Palestinian issue by recognizing Palestine as an independent state.
Earlier, upon arrival in Ankara, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with President Erdoğan and both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation across various sectors.
The prime minister emphasised the importance of enhancing economic cooperation through joint projects and investments. He highlighted opportunities in energy, mining, defense, agriculture, trade, people-to-people exchanges, regional connectivity, and emerging technologies like AI and cyber security.
Both leaders reviewed the progress on decisions made during the 7th High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) held on 13 February 2025 in Islamabad and expressed satisfaction over the pace of multidimensional bilateral collaboration.
They also discussed regional and global issues and reiterated mutual support on matters of national interest. Expressing deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, both leaders called for an immediate ceasefire and urgent humanitarian aid. Erdoğan appreciated Pakistan’s consistent support and relief efforts for Palestine.
Finally, both leaders pledged to further strengthen the strategic partnership to promote peace, stability, development, and prosperity in the region.
The Pakistani delegation included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi, and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Türkiye Dr. Yousaf Junaid.
President Erdoğan hosted a dinner in honor of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his delegation.
