Islamabad (Web Desk/Agencies): Pakistan and Turkify on Thursday exchanged the signed documents of several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), protocols and cooperation agreements in various fields to step-up bilateral ties in various fields during the visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Pakistan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were present as various agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were exchanged between Pakistan and Turkey, marking a significant step toward deepening their strategic partnership.
On the occasion, the two leaders signed the joint declaration at the 7th High Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) meeting, further cementing the ties between the two countries.
Several key documents were exchanged by ministers from both sides.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Turkish Minister of Trade Omer Bolat exchanged signed papers regarding an MoU between the Export Credit Bank of Turkey and the Export-Import Bank of Pakistan.
Minister of Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and Turkish Minister of Trade Omer Bolat signed and exchanged documents for a joint statement on the verification of origin certificates used in trade, along with an MoU to digitalize the process. The two ministers also exchanged an MoU on industrial property cooperation.
In the defense sector, Minister of Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Turkish Minister of Defence Yasar Guler exchanged documents for several agreements, including an MoU on the exchange of military and civilian personnel for social and cultural purposes, another on cooperation in Air Force Electronic Warfare, and one concerning cooperation between the Secretariat of Defence Industries and Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence Production.
The two ministers also exchanged a protocol on training and military health cooperation.
Furthermore, an MoU between Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Pakistan’s Naval Research and Development Institute (NRDI) was signed by DG NRDI, Rear Admiral Javed Iqbal, and Dr. Mehmet Demiroglu, Director of Turkish Aerospace Industries.
In science and technology, Minister of Science and Technology Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacir signed an MoU regarding the establishment of legal metrology infrastructure, and Dr Siddiqui also exchanged a signed document with Minister Bolat on cooperation in halal trade.
Cooperation in food security was further solidified with an agreement signed between Minister of National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Ibrahim Yumakli regarding seed protocols and amendments to existing agreements.
In the energy sector, both countries signed documents to amend their existing cooperation agreements in hydrocarbons, and additional MoUs were exchanged on energy transition and mining.
Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, and Turkish Minister Ibrahim Yumakli also exchanged documents on water cooperation, while in the field of information and broadcasting, Minister Attaullah Tarar and Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun signed MoUs on public relations and communications cooperation.
An agreement on religious services and education was signed between Minister of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Chaudhry Salik Hussain and Professor Dr Ali Ebras.
Further strengthening bilateral ties, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Turkish Minister Kacir exchanged signed documents for a technical assistance and development MoU between Türkiye’s Scientific and Technological Research Council and Pakistan’s National Textile University, Faisalabad.
Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also exchanged MoUs on technical cooperation in health and pharmaceuticals, while Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Foreign Minister Fidan signed documents related to technical cooperation between the Central Bank of Turkey and the State Bank of Pakistan.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan exchanged two agreements on cultural cooperation and co-production in audiovisual services.
At the Pakistan-Turkey Business Forum, two MoUs were signed, further enhancing the economic and trade relations between the two countries.
These multiple agreements reflect the continued commitment of both nations to work together in a wide array of fields, reinforcing their growing bilateral partnership.