ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Ashgabat on Thursday on a two-day official visit, where he will attend a regional forum and hold bilateral talks with Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedow and other world leaders.
The Prime Minister and the accompanying Pakistani delegation were warmly received by Turkmenistan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Head of Transport and Communications, Mammetkhan Chakyyev, upon arrival at Ashgabat International Airport.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will participate in a forum in Ashgabat commemorating the International Year of Peace and Trust 2025, the International Day of Neutrality, and the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality.
Prime Minister @CMShehbaz has arrived in Ashgabat on a two-day official visit to Turkmenistan at the invitation of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov@PakPMO @GovtofPakistan @ForeignOfficePk @TararAttaullah @MIshaqDar50 #PMShehbazInTurkmenistan #RadioPakistan #PeaceAndTrust2025… pic.twitter.com/ySFndz2TuM
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) December 11, 2025
On the sidelines of the forum, PM Sharif will hold bilateral meetings with President Serdar Berdimuhamedow and other world leaders attending the event.
The Prime Minister is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Power Sardar Awais Khan Leghari, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistants Tariq Fatemi and Talha Barki.
In April this year, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal invited Turkmenistan’s energy companies to establish operations in Pakistan, state media reported on Monday, as Islamabad seeks foreign investment to strengthen its economy and address ongoing energy challenges.
Pakistan has been actively pursuing cooperation with Turkmenistan, particularly through the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline project.
The initiative is designed to deliver natural gas from Turkmenistan’s Galkynysh field to Pakistan, routed through Afghanistan and ultimately extending to India.
If the project is implemented, it will help Turkmenistan supply about 33 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas each year along a route covering a distance of over 1,800 kilometers.
