Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday, where both leaders agreed to further enhance cooperation in trade, investment, defence, and security.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York, focused on bilateral relations and regional and global issues, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.
The two leaders reviewed preparations for the upcoming 7th session of the Pakistan-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), which will be hosted in Islamabad. Discussions also covered regional and international matters, particularly the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Both Sharif and Erdoğan called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to hostilities.
Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed his gratitude for Türkiye’s unwavering support for the people of India-held Kashmir. During the meeting, President Erdoğan praised Sharif's economic policies, commending his efforts in stabilizing Pakistan’s economy and implementing crucial reforms. He also extended birthday wishes to Shehbaz, who recently celebrated his 73rd birthday.
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Separately, the PM congratulated President Erdoğan on his impactful speech at the 79th UN General Assembly, where Erdoğan strongly condemned Israel’s military actions in Gaza and criticized Western nations for their support of Israel. “The way the Turkish president highlighted the issue touched the hearts of all those listening to him in the Assembly hall,” he remarked.
Erdoğan’s speech emphasized that the values of the United Nations and the West are being eroded amid the conflict, calling for an “alliance of humanity” to halt the violence in Gaza. The Turkish leader strongly criticized Israel over its military campaign in the Gaza Strip and on the Western countries for their support to Israel.
“Along with children in Gaza, the United Nations system is also dying, the truth is dying, the values that the West claims to defend are dying, the hopes of humanity to live in a fairer world are dying one by one,” Erdoğan added.
Sharif reiterated the strong brotherly ties between Pakistan and Turkey, and confirmed that President Erdoğan is expected to visit Pakistan soon. Responding to a question, the prime minister provided an update on Pakistan's agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), stating that it is in the final stages of approval. He expressed gratitude to China, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE for their vital support in securing the deal, acknowledging that Pakistan had accepted challenging conditions set by the IMF.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is also set to meet IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva to finalize the agreement. Reflecting on his government's efforts to address Pakistan’s economic challenges, Sharif thanked Allah for the progress made and vowed to continue serving the people of Pakistan.
