ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Istanbul on Friday for a bilateral visit aimed at strengthening trade and economic ties with Turkiye.
The visit is being carried out following an invitation from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Upon his arrival at Atatürk Airport, the prime minister was received by Turkiye’s Minister of Trade, Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkiye Dr. Yousaf Junaid, as well as senior officials from Turkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Pakistani Embassy.
وزیر اعظم شہباز شریف ترکیہ کے دوطرفہ دورے پر استنبول پہنچ گئے۔
استنبول کے اتاترک ایئر پورٹ پر ترکیہ کے وزیر تجارت پروفیسر ڈاکٹر عمر بولات، ترکیہ میں پاکستان کے سفیر ڈاکٹر یوسف جنید اور ترکیہ کے وزارت خارجہ اور سفارت خانے کے دیگر افسران نے وزیر اعظم کا استقبال کیا ۔
نائب… pic.twitter.com/1mrQeAWV7n
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) July 3, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar are accompanying the prime minister on the visit.
According to the Foreign Office, the premier will hold talks with President Erdogan on the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation, with particular emphasis on expanding trade, investment, and economic collaboration, as well as regional peace and security.
Minister of Trade of the Republic Türkiye Professor Dr Omer Bolat received Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif upon his arrival at Ataturk Airport Istanbul. pic.twitter.com/xLAcczAc82
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) July 3, 2026
The prime minister will also address a Pakistan-hosted business conference highlighting investment opportunities in special economic zones (SEZs), energy, trade, information technology and privatisation.
The conference will bring together Turkish business leaders, investors, senior government officials and representatives of the private sector.
The visit reflects Pakistan’s “deep-rooted, historic, cultural and fraternal ties” with Turkiye.
PM Sharif attends funeral ceremony of assassinated Supreme Leader
Earlier Pakistani delegation, headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, attended the funeral ceremony of the assassinated Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran.
The Pakistani delegation included Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and other senior government officials.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Friday also held a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran.
