This is the official visit by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Türkiye on 22 April 2025. The visit was conducted at the official invitation of Türkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
During the visit, bilateral talks were held and inter-delegation meetings took place in Ankara, addressing cooperation in various fields. In addition to the meetings held at the Presidency Complex, the leaders held a joint press conference and a formal dinner was hosted in honor of the delegations of both countries.
Welcome Ceremony
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Ankara on 22 April 2025. He was officially welcomed at Esenboğa Airport by Türkiye’s Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler.
Following the ceremony, the Pakistani delegation led by Prime Minister Sharif proceeded to the Presidency Complex in Ankara for talks. The Pakistani delegation included senior officials accompanying Prime Minister Sharif: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Muhammad Ishak Dar, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister for Foreign Relations Syed Tarik Fatemi, and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Ankara Yusuf Cüneyd.
Joint Press Conference
On 22 April 2025, at the Presidency Complex in Ankara, a joint press conference was held between Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Türkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The meeting included comprehensive assessments of bilateral relations between the two countries, regional security issues, areas of economic cooperation, and international developments.
Strategic Cooperation and Economic Partnership
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that the implementation of the 25 agreements signed between Türkiye and Pakistan in Islamabad in February 2025 had already begun. It was noted that these agreements foresee cooperation in numerous areas including trade, energy, agriculture, social services, culture, science and defense. Erdoğan emphasized the rapid progress of this process, saying, “We are witnessing the commencement of implementation of the decisions we have taken.”
During the visit, issues such as encouraging investors and designating free economic zones for Turkish companies in Pakistan were raised. President Erdoğan stated, “We are encouraging our investors to increase their activities in Pakistan and develop joint projects.” Prime Minister Sharif underscored the need to elevate economic cooperation to a higher level, saying, “We believe that the trade volume between the two countries can be raised to five billion dollars.”
Defense and Security Cooperation
The two leaders expressed their shared commitment to enhancing defense industry cooperation. President Erdoğan stated, “Türkiye and Pakistan are among the countries demonstrating the strongest resolve in the fight against terrorism,” and extended condolences to Pakistan for those who lost their lives in recent attacks.
Prime Minister Sharif, referring to an attack in which a train was targeted in Pakistan’s Balochistan region, said, “Terrorists attacked a train carrying innocent civilians… Behind these attacks were BLA and TTP.” He called for increased regional and international cooperation against such attacks. Sharif also said, “I wish to express my gratitude to Türkiye for its continuous support in Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts.”
Cooperation in Energy, Mining and Education
Energy and natural resources were among the top agenda items of the meeting. President Erdoğan, referencing discussions held during the visit of Türkiye’s Minister of Energy to Pakistan, stated, “We specifically highlighted new cooperation projects in the fields of energy and critical minerals.”
In the field of education, Türkiye plans to provide teaching staff to promote Turkish language instruction at Pakistani universities. Erdoğan said, “We also addressed the need to meet the demand for Turkish language instructors.”
The Palestine Issue
The Palestine issue was also on the agenda of both leaders. President Erdoğan reiterated, “I wish to once again express my enduring appreciation for Pakistan’s steadfast stance on the Palestine issue,” emphasizing Türkiye’s solidarity with Pakistan on this matter. He added, “Pakistan was among the countries that responded most strongly to the genocide in Gaza.”
Prime Minister Sharif described the events in Gaza as a “barbaric genocide,” stating, “We condemn the killing of more than 50,000 Palestinians.” He proposed a solution, saying, “We believe an independent Palestinian state must be established within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.” Both sides called for an immediate ceasefire and agreed on the necessity of uninterrupted humanitarian aid delivery.
Regional and Global Issues
Another topic raised at the press conference was unity within the ummah and international solidarity. Prime Minister Sharif stated, “We believe there must be unity among the ummah,” emphasizing the need for closer relations among Muslim countries.
Additionally, Sharif thanked President Erdoğan for Türkiye’s position on the Jammu and Kashmir issue, noting that this support is of great importance to Pakistan. Erdoğan referred to Pakistan’s solidarity on the Cyprus issue, affirming that the two countries support each other on international platforms. Sharif remarked, “We see this long-standing alliance being extended to new partnerships.”
Historical Context and Previous Visits
During his meetings in Ankara, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif referred to previous examples of cooperation between Türkiye and Pakistan. It was noted that this visit followed the 7th High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting held in Islamabad in February 2025.
Sharif recalled the visit made to Pakistan by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his wife Emine Erdoğan following the devastating floods in Pakistan in 2011. He noted that Türkiye did not only send humanitarian aid but also constructed rehabilitation centers, field hospitals, medical facilities and schools.
Sharif also highlighted Türkiye’s swift delivery of aid supplies to Pakistan during another flood disaster in 2022. He emphasized the importance of this visit by recalling President Erdoğan’s most recent visit to Pakistan.
Official Dinner in Honor of the Guest
As part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Türkiye, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted a formal dinner in his honor at the Presidency Complex. The dinner was attended by official delegations from both countries and was conducted behind closed doors.
