ISLAMABAD: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to visit Pakistan later this week as part of a four-day diplomatic tour, starting Monday, to three Asian countries to strengthen ties with Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan, Turkish news outlet Daily Sabah reported.
During the visit, President Erdogan will hold talks with Pakistani leadership to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance cooperation across various sectors, particularly in defence and trade.
The visit is expected to focus on topics ranging from regional security to economic collaboration, as both countries continue to forge closer ties.
According to Daily Sabah, President Erdogan will first visit Malaysia and Indonesia before arriving in Pakistan, where he is scheduled to hold talks with Pakistani leaders to explore opportunities for deepening ties.
The tour, also confirmed in a post on Erdogan’s social media account, comes after Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari called on his Turkish counterpart during a brief stop at Istanbul Airport in Turkey.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warmly received President Zardari at the airport.
Zardari and his Turkish counterpart discussed bilateral ties and matters of mutual interest during their meeting.
President Zardari is currently on a visit to Portugal to express condolences on the passing of Prince Karim Aga Khan and meet with Prince Rahim Al-Husseini.
President Erdogan’s visit follows a series of high-level meetings between Turkish and Pakistani officials in recent months, most notably with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
In September 2024, during the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the two leaders discussed Pakistan’s economic progress, with Erdogan expressing his optimism about the country’s continued development under PM Shehbaz’s leadership.
The diplomatic visit comes on the heels of strengthened military ties between the two nations. In January, Pakistan and Turkey conducted a bilateral naval exercise, Turgutreis-XI, in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The exercise, designed to enhance interoperability between the two navies, included a range of maritime operations and tactical manoeuvres. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to increasing cooperation in addressing emerging regional security challenges.
Two countries particularly increased cooperation in the defence industry, with deals signed on the acquisition of naval vessels and uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), Daily Sabah reported.
On the diplomatic front, the visit is of considerable significance, particularly following a series of high-profile foreign visits to Pakistan. Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko was the last foreign leader to visit Islamabad in November 2024.
The Daily Sabah report also mentioned that Erdogan’s meetings will address major international issues, including the ongoing Palestine-Israel conflict, the situation in Syria, and the Russia-Ukraine war.
