Turkish foreign, defense ministers due in Pakistan for strategic talks

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Defense Minister Yaşar Güler will embark on a one-day visit to Pakistan on July 9 to strengthen the already robust ties between the two nations and explore deeper cooperation in areas such as security and defense industry.

According to the diplomatic sources, Fidan and Güler will meet Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Commander of Pakistan’s Land Forces Gen. Asim Munir.

Sources emphasized that Fidan will reaffirm the distinctive bilateral relationship between the two countries, with hopes to strengthen it across all feasible areas. In February, Türkiye and Pakistan convened a high-level strategic council meeting in Pakistan’s territory, where they signed several agreements, with enhanced defense industry collaboration being one of these areas.

The visit by Fidan and Güler comes after an escalation between Pakistan and India over the Kashmir problem. India criticized Türkiye for backing Pakistan and engaged in military and political ties with Greek Cyprus and Greece.

Fidan is expected to voice once again that Türkiye welcomed the de-escalation between India and Pakistan while repeating Ankara’s readiness to contribute to the establishment of peace and stability in the region.

The Turkish foreign minister will highlight the changing security environment in the region and the world and recall the need for bolstering cooperation in security and anti-terrorism.

Turkish and Pakistani officials will also exchange views about the escalation in the Middle East, the sources stressed, informing that Fidan will once again stress the importance of finding a permanent solution to the Palestinian problem on the basis of a two-state solution.

Fidan will leave for Malaysia from Pakistan to attend the ASEAN ministerial meeting on July 10.