Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif landed in Turkey for a two-day visit to the Western Asian country for deepening the defence cooperation between the two countries.
Taking to Twitter, Sharif said, "Being in Turkey feels like being home, overwhelmed by the warmth of our Turkish brothers and sisters. Our bilateral ties have entered a new era of strategic partnership under the leadership of President Erdogan. We are on course to unpack the full untapped potential of relationship."
Upon his arrival, PM Sharif was received by Istanbul's deputy governor, senior Turkish civil and military officials, and diplomats of the Pakistani Embassy and Consulate at the Islamabad International Airport, Geo News reported.
The prime minister is undertaking the visit at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Before leaving for Turkey, the Pakistani PM said that he is there to inaugrate the third MILGEM Corvette Ship, which represents the deepening of defence cooperation.
"Leaving for 2-day visit to Turkiye at the invitation of my brother President Tayyip Erdogan. Inauguration of third MILGEM Corvette Ship represents deepening of defence cooperation between our two brotherly countries. High-level exchanges are a defining feature of our partnership," he said in a tweet.
According to Geo News citing a statement issued by the Foreign Office, the two leaders will also hold wide-ranging discussions encompassing bilateral relations, the regional situation and other issues of common interest.
During his stay in Istanbul, the president of the ECO Trade and Development Bank (ETDB) will call on the prime minister, the FO said, adding that the PM will also interact with the leaders of the Turkish business community.
Pakistan and Turkey enjoy a good relationship where the latter has supplied various models of combat UAVs to the former country, according to The Balochistan Post-English.
According to the information on the microblogging site Twitter and Pakistan-based defence blogs, Chinese CH-4B UAVs were spotted over Bolan, Balochistan, where the rebels killed two SSG Commandos, reported The Eurasian Times.
Notably, the MILGEM project, based on joint collaboration between the two countries, represents a significant milestone in the Pakistan-Turkey strategic partnership that continues progressing on an upward trajectory, Geo News reported.
It is pertinent to mention here that the launching ceremony for the first Corvette for the Pakistan Navy, PNS Babur, was performed in Istanbul in August 2021 while the groundbreaking for the Second Ship, PNS Badr, was held at Karachi in May 2022.
PM Shehbaz Sharif last visited Turkiye in May-June 2022, reported Geo News.
( With inputs from ANI )
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