ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to enhancing connectivity with Turkmenistan through land and maritime routes.
He made the remarks during a meeting with Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov in Ashgabat on Thursday.
The Prime Minister noted that Pakistan’s ports of Karachi and Gwadar are strategically positioned to serve as vital gateways for Turkmenistan, enabling expanded access to South Asia and other regions.
Shehbaz Sharif congratulated President Berdimuhamedov on the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s Permanent Neutrality and the UN’s designation of 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust.
Highlighting the historic and brotherly ties between the two nations, the Prime Minister expressed his resolve to further deepen bilateral relations, particularly through enhanced trade and economic cooperation.
He also conveyed Pakistan’s profound gratitude to the Turkmen government for its support in facilitating the safe evacuation of Pakistani nationals from Iran during the Iran–Israel conflict earlier this year.
The Prime Minister also conveyed his warm wishes for the National Leader of Turkmen People, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, and reiterated his most cordial invitation to him, as well as to President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to undertake official visits to Pakistan next year, on mutually convenient dates, to be worked out by the two sides.
Prime Minister @CMShehbaz has reaffirmed Pakistan's desire to enhance connectivity with Turkmenistan through land and sea routes@PakPMO @GovtofPakistan @ForeignOfficePk@TararAttaullah @MIshaqDar50#PMShehbazInTurkmenistan #RadioPakistan #News https://t.co/uptL8AYqNK pic.twitter.com/zbor3v1Aol
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) December 11, 2025
The Turkmen President thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his visit and participation in the International Forum on Peace and Trust, affirming that Turkmenistan is equally committed to expanding bilateral cooperation with Pakistan across a broad range of shared interests.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister arrived in Ashgabat on a two-day official visit to attend the International Forum marking the International Year of Peace and Trust (2025), the International Day of Neutrality, and the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s Permanent Neutrality.
In April this year, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal invited Turkmenistan’s energy companies to establish operations in Pakistan.
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.
