ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of Turkiye to Pakistan Dr. Mehmet Pacaci called on Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday.
During the meeting, he congratulated Ahsan Iqbal on assuming office as Planning Minister and informed him about the upcoming meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) between the two countries.
The Ambassador said that Pakistan and Turkiye share a longstanding friendship and have supported each other during various disasters such as floods and earthquakes.
Minister Iqbal expressed gratitude for Turkiye’s support during the floods of 2022. In return, the Turkish Ambassador acknowledged Pakistan’s assistance during the recent earthquake in Turkiye, which affected 11 provinces and resulted in more than 50,000 deaths.
Minister Iqbal highlighted the potential for collaboration between Pakistan and Turkiye, suggesting joint production of export items to third countries and cultural cooperation in arts and media.
He also proposed seeking Turkish assistance in setting up industries in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) for exporting goods to Europe, leveraging Pakistan’s lower labor costs compared to Turkiye.
Both parties expressed concern over Islamophobic attacks against Muslims globally and reiterated their commitment to combating terrorism together.
