Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday that Türkiye’s success is Pakistan’s success, pledging to further strengthen the “unique partnership” between the two countries.
“Türkiye’s success is Pakistan’s success. Pakistan’s progress is Türkiye’s progress,” Sharif told a joint news conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul after talks at the Vahdettin Palace.
Sharif thanked Erdogan for his “warm welcome and gracious hospitality,” saying it was “always a pleasure to visit the magnificent city of Istanbul on the shores of the Bosphorus where history meets modernity and rich cultures of both East and West thrive side by side.”
Citing Turkish poet and thinker Yunus Emre’s verse, “A heart makes a good home for the friend,” Sharif said: “No words could better describe the relationship between our two nations.”
“Pakistan has always found a home in the hearts of the people of Türkiye just as Türkiye lives in the hearts of every Pakistani,” he said.
He said the friendship between the two nations was forged through “centuries of shared history, common faith, mutual sacrifice and an enduring sense of brotherhood.”
Sharif recalled that Türkiye has always stood by Pakistan in difficult times, including wars, earthquakes and floods, and pointed to Erdogan’s visit to flood-hit areas of Pakistan in 2010 as well as First Lady Emine Erdogan’s support for flood victims.
“This is why we proudly say Pakistan and Türkiye are two hearts of one soul,” he said.
$5 billion target
Sharif said he and Erdogan held “very comprehensive and productive discussions,” expressing satisfaction over growing momentum in trade, investment and industrial cooperation.
He said the two leaders reviewed concrete steps to unlock the full potential of economic cooperation, adding that the goodwill between the countries offered “a unique and ideal opportunity” to achieve their mutually agreed target of $5 billion in bilateral trade.
Sharif said Pakistan would continue to stand firmly with Türkiye on the issue of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
He also expressed Pakistan’s appreciation for Türkiye’s “principled and unwavering support” for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and “their legitimate right to self-determination.”
Sharif said he and Erdogan reaffirmed their shared belief that “dialogue, diplomacy and mutual respect remain the only sustainable path to resolving disputes and preserving international peace and security.”
He thanked Türkiye for its “strong and steadfast support” for Pakistan’s peace efforts in the region, saying they culminated in the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum.
“The decisions we have taken today will not remain words on paper,” Sharif said. “They will translate into greater trade, stronger investment, deeper strategic cooperation and, above all, a better future for our peoples.”
He said he assured Erdogan of Pakistan’s “unwavering commitment” to further strengthen the partnership.
Quoting Rumi, Sharif said: “The lamps are different, but the light is the same,” adding that the people of Pakistan and Türkiye are guided by “the light of faith, compassion, mutual respect and an unbreakable brotherhood.”
