Islamabad: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif arrived in Turkey on Friday on a two-day official visit at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The Prime Minister is leading a high-level delegation.
Along with President Erdogan, the Prime Minister will jointly inaugurate PNS Khyber, the third of the four Miljum-class corvette ships for the Pakistan Navy, at Istanbul Shipyard, the press statement added.
Earlier, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) tweeted a video of the Prime Minister’s departure.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif departs for Turkiye for a two-day official visit on the invitation of H.E. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. pic.twitter.com/kVOBEJcUnZ
— Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) November 25, 2022
The prime minister also tweeted before his departure that high-level exchanges are a defining feature of the partnership between the two countries.
The commissioning of the third Mujam corvette represents a further deepening of defense cooperation between our two brotherly nations. High-level exchanges are a key feature of our partnership,” said Shahbaz.
Leaving for 2-day visit to Türkiye at the invitation of my brother H.E. President Tayyip Erdogan. Inauguration of third MILGEM Corvette Ship represents deepening of defence cooperation b/w our two brotherly countries. High level exchanges are a defining feaure of our partnership.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) November 25, 2022
A press release issued by the PMO said that the two leaders will hold wide-ranging discussions on bilateral relations, regional situation and other issues of common interest.
Shahbaz Sharif is also expected to hold talks with the leaders of the Turkish business community. President of ECO Trade and Development Bank (ETDB) will also meet the Prime Minister during his stay in Istanbul.
The statement added that Pakistan and Turkey have fraternal ties deeply rooted in commonalities of faith, culture and history and are based on extraordinary harmony and mutual trust.
The joint collaborative MILGEM project between the two countries represents an important milestone in the Pakistan-Turkey Strategic Partnership which continues to move upwards.
The launch ceremony of the first corvette PNS Babar for the Pakistan Navy was held in Istanbul in August 2021, while the foundation stone for the second ship PNS Badr was held in Karachi in May 2022, the statement added.
Frequent exchanges at the leadership level are a clear feature of the enduring ties of Pakistan-Turkey friendship.
The Prime Minister had earlier visited Turkey in May-June 2022.
During the visit, the Prime Minister had said that Pakistan wanted to work with the Turkish business community to develop ‘genuine and sincere’ bilateral relations and stressed the need to tap into the immense potential between the two countries.
