ISTANBUL (Turkiye), Nov 25 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Turkiye on Friday on a two-day official visit at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
At the Istanbul International Airport, the prime minister and his high-level delegation were received by the Deputy Governor of Istanbul and senior officials of the government of Turkiye.
In a tweet soon after arrival, the prime minister said the bilateral ties between Pakistan and Turkiye had entered a new era of strategic partnership under the leadership of President Erdogan.
“We are on course to unpack the full untapped potential of the relationship,” he said.
Shehbaz Sharif said being in Turkey felt like being at home and added that he was overwhelmed by the warmth of the Turkish brothers and sisters.
During the visit, PM Shehbaz Sharif alongside President Erdogan will jointly inaugurate the third of the four MILGEM Corvette Ships for the Pakistan Navy’s PNS Khaibar at the Istanbul Shipyard.
The two leaders will also hold wide-ranging discussions encompassing bilateral relations, regional situation and other issues of common interest.
The prime minister will interact with leaders of the Turkish business community.
The president of the ECO Trade and Development Bank (ETDB) will also call on the prime minister during his stay in Istanbul.
Pakistan and Turkiye enjoy fraternal ties deeply embedded in commonalities of faith, culture and history and underpinned by exceptional cordiality and mutual trust.
The MILGEM project, based on joint collaboration between the two countries, represents a significant milestone in the Pakistan-Turkiye strategic partnership that continues to progress on an upward trajectory.
The launching ceremony for the first Corvettefor 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.
Frequent leadership level exchanges are a defining feature of the eternal bonds of Pakistan-Turkiye friendship.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif earlier visited Turkiye in May-June 2022.
