ANTALYA (The Thursday Times) — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed regional peace, the implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, and bilateral cooperation at a meeting on the sidelines of the COP31 climate summit in Antalya on Thursday, according to an official statement.
The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the direction of relations and discussed ways to expand cooperation in trade, investment, defence, energy, and connectivity, with an emphasis on speeding up ongoing projects and finding new economic openings, the statement said.
The Islamabad memorandum
Shehbaz briefed Erdogan on efforts by regional countries to ease tensions and encourage dialogue. Erdogan praised Pakistan’s constructive role and the diplomacy that led to the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, according to the statement.
Both leaders said all parties must honour their commitments under the memorandum to secure lasting peace in the region. They also reaffirmed their support for each other on issues of core national interest and their commitment to deepening the strategic partnership between Pakistan and Türkiye.
Shehbaz thanked Erdogan for his continued support and close coordination with Pakistan on regional diplomatic initiatives.
Türkiye’s presidency said Erdogan told Shehbaz the two countries would speed up cooperation, particularly in transport and the defence industry, and that Türkiye was ready to do everything possible through peaceful means to help address the challenges Pakistan faces in its region. He also offered condolences for the policemen killed in a recent terrorist attack in Pakistan.
Heading home
Shehbaz left Antalya for Pakistan after the summit and was seen off at the airport by Türkiye’s deputy environment minister, Hasan Suver.
During the summit he told leaders that water must never be weaponised, held talks with the presidents of Iraq and Finland, and was welcomed on Wednesday by Erdogan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
