ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif left for Turkey this morning on a two-day official visit, JEE News reported on Friday.
The Prime Minister is visiting on the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif along with President Erdogan will jointly inaugurate PNS Khyber, the third of four corvette ships for the Pakistan Navy at Istanbul Shipyard.
The statement said that the two leaders will also discuss bilateral relations, regional situation and other matters of common interest.
During his stay in Istanbul, the president of ECO Trade and Development Bank (ETDB) will meet with the prime minister, the FO said, adding that the prime minister will also interact with leaders of Turkey’s business community.
The FO said that Pakistan and Turkey enjoy deep fraternal ties rooted in commonalities of faith, culture and history and are based on extraordinary harmony and mutual trust.
The joint collaborative project between the two countries represents an important milestone in the Pakistan-Turkey strategic partnership which continues to move upwards.
It may be mentioned here that the launch ceremony of the first corvette PNS Babar for Pakistan Navy was held in Istanbul in August 2021 while the foundation stone of the second ship PNS Badr was held in Karachi in May 2022.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif last visited Turkey in May-June 2022.
