(Asghar Ali Mubarak)
ISLAMABAD (TNS) Pakistan and Turkey have agreed to promote bilateral cooperation in various sectors including defense, economy, information technology, education, health and have reiterated their commitment to increase bilateral trade volume to $5 billion. Addressing a joint press conference after signing various agreements, protocols and memorandums of understanding between Pakistan and Turkey, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that detailed discussions have been held with the Turkish President on promoting ties in various sectors. We will work as a team to implement the agreements and memorandums of understanding. Sustainable partnership between the two countries is being promoted. Fraternal relations will strengthen further with time. Terrorism is a common problem for Pakistan and Turkey. We are determined to eliminate this scourge. We expect that Afghanistan will cooperate in the fight against terrorism instead of spreading terrorism. While Turkish President has said that his investors Encouraging investment in Pakistan, Turkey will continue to support the resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people, and supports an independent and sovereign Palestinian state. The meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and the meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council discussed promoting bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields including trade, investment, defense, agriculture, education, energy, science and technology and infrastructure. The Prime Minister said that I welcome Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on his visit to Pakistan. Your visit will prove to be very useful for both countries. You are visiting Pakistan after five years. The people of Pakistan are very happy today. The people of Turkey have deep relations with the people of Pakistan and these centuries-old ties are strengthening over time.
The brotherly relations between the two countries are developing. He said that during the freedom movement in Turkey, the people of the subcontinent supported him wholeheartedly. He said that Turkey supported Pakistan in every difficult time including earthquakes and floods. In 2010, when there was a large-scale flood in Punjab, the Turkish government under your leadership provided full support to the people of Pakistan. This reflects our brotherly relations. The First Lady of Turkey and you visited the flood-affected areas, built schools, hospitals and houses, and won the hearts of the people of Pakistan by generously providing assistance. We remember the words of Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi who said that compassion and grace are like the sun, while generosity and helping others are like the river. He said that the brotherly relations between the two countries will strengthen further with time. Your visit has given a new dimension to our brotherly relations. The Prime Minister said that President Tayyip Erdogan is a highly respected leader of the Islamic world. Due to his vision and leadership skills, he not only transformed Turkey but also made Turkey one of the most important countries in the world. Turkey has taken a strong and clear stand for the oppressed people of Gaza, Palestine and Kashmir, which cannot be forgotten. The Prime Minister said that the sustainable partnership between Pakistan and Turkey is developing. Turkey has always taken a clear stand for the people of Jammu and Kashmir under the illegal occupation of India. Similarly, Pakistan fully supports Turkey’s stand on the issue of Northern Cyprus. The Prime Minister said that he is grateful to you for the way you have appreciated the sacrifices of the people of Pakistan and the Pakistani security forces for the eradication of terrorism. Terrorism is a common problem for Pakistan and Turkey, we are determined to eradicate this scourge. He said that Afghanistan is our neighboring country. We expect that Afghanistan will cooperate in the fight against terrorism instead of spreading terrorism. The Prime Minister said that with the President of Turkey, we discussed promoting ties in various fields including trade, investment, strategic cooperation, defense cooperation. Agreements and memorandums of understanding have also been signed between the two countries, including the establishment of special economic zones that will be built by Turkish companies. We will work as a team to implement these agreements and memorandums of understanding. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that we consider Pakistan our second home and we have a strong bond of friendship. During the war of independence, the people of the subcontinent supported us wholeheartedly. Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal are also our heroes. We are very happy to have come to Pakistan. He said that the High-Level Strategic Council between the two countries was established in 2009. It is an important forum to further strengthen the friendship between the two countries. In the seventh meeting of the Council, we have agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations. 24 agreements and memorandums of understanding have been signed to promote cooperation in trade, water resources, defense, education, energy, culture and other sectors. We have discussed in detail not only bilateral but also regional and global issues. In the meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari, issues related to promoting bilateral relations were also discussed.
He said that the bilateral trade volume between Pakistan and Turkey has also been increased to five billion dollars, in addition to which military dialogue and cooperation in the field of defense industry will be increased. He said that the strong relations between the two countries are also reflected in the fact that both countries have supported each other in every difficult time. A business forum is also being organized between the two countries in which business personalities will be involved, we are encouraging our investors to invest in Pakistan. He said that the solidarity of the people of Pakistan with the people of Turkey cannot be forgotten, we appreciate the sacrifices of Pakistan in dealing with terrorism and regional threats and unconditionally support Pakistan in the fight against all types of terrorism, we express our heartfelt condolences to the brave security forces personnel and the Pakistani people who lost their lives in terrorist incidents and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured and the high ranks of the martyrs. He said that Pakistan appreciates Turkey’s support in the fight against terrorism and terrorist organizations. Declaring Fatah organization as terrorist and handing over its schools to the Turkish Maarif Foundation is a reflection of our common commitment in the fight against terrorism. The schools of the Turkish Maarif Foundation will play an important role in the education sector of Pakistan. We will continue to strengthen the ties of friendship for future generations through scholarship programs. The Turkish President said that the Turkish state and nation express solidarity with the Kashmiri brothers as in the past. Turkey will continue to support the resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people. Pakistan’s support on the issue of Turkish Cyprus is of great importance to us. Pakistan’s unwavering stance on the Palestinian issue is very important. We have been raising our voice for the legitimate rights of the Palestinians at the UN, OIC and other international platforms together with Pakistan. At a time when new plans are being presented for the sisters and brothers of Gaza, it is important to strengthen mutual cooperation. We support an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital and based on the pre-1967 borders. He said that he thanked Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and the Pakistani authorities and the brotherly people of Pakistan for their hospitality. He hoped that the agreements and memorandums of understanding between the two countries would prove beneficial for both countries and the region. He said that he would soon present the electric car manufactured in Turkey to Brother Shahbaz Sharif. This would prove to be a symbol of strong friendship between Pakistan and Turkey and this electric car would also prove beneficial for President Asif Ali Zardari.Joint Declaration
The 7th Session of Pakistan-Türkiye High Level Strategic Cooperation Council- “Further deepening, diversifying, and institutionalizing the strategic partnership”
Recalling deep-rooted religious, civilizational, cultural, linguistic and historical relations between Türkiye and Pakistan going back centuries;
Recognizing the completion of 77 years since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations between the two brotherly countries;
Acknowledging the time tested and exemplary brotherhood and mutual support of peoples and governments of the two countries in challenging times;
Reiterating that the historic fraternal ties between the peoples of the two brotherly countries are a sacred trust that must be nourished by all and transmitted to our future generations;
Stressing the spirit of ‘Two Souls, One Heart’ as the foundation of bilateral relations between Türkiye and Pakistan;
Appreciating the outcomes of the Pakistan-Türkiye Strategic Economic Framework (SEF) and its Action Plan;
Desirous of giving further impetus to the existing bilateral cooperation between the two countries in all spheres including, inter alia, defense, trade, investment, banking, finance, education, health, energy, culture, tourism, transport and communication, agriculture, water, science and technology;
Underscoring the centrality of the Pakistan-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) as a mechanism to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in a structured, concerted, coordinated, strategic and comprehensive manner;
Stressing the importance of regular periodic meetings of the HLSCC and its Joint Working Groups (JWGs) and following-up on their work;
Mindful of the contemporary challenges to peace, security and sustainable development, which have far-reaching impact on the region and beyond, and reaffirming strong determination on both sides to further deepen the strategic collaboration in this regard;
Condemning in the strongest possible terms all incidents of terrorist attacks in both the countries and expressing solidarity with their peoples;
Expressing deep concern at the rising tide of Islamophobia, and condemning in the strongest terms the terrorist and racist attacks against Muslims across the globe;
Reiterating their common resolve to fight the scourge of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations as well as the threat of extremism, and to support the relevant initiatives in this regard at regional and international platforms;
Noting with satisfaction the progress achieved so far and reiterating their resolve towards transforming this fraternal relationship into an ever-expanding, mutually beneficial, strategic partnership;
Recalling all the previous Joint Declarations signed between the two sides under the framework of HLSCC, and the decisions made therein;
Underlining our common resolve to take bilateral relations to ever-newer heights through mutual cooperation in all areas;
Having endorsed the outcomes of the meetings of the respective Working Groups of the HLSCC and expressing satisfaction at the progress achieved therein;
We, the co-chairs of the 7th HLSCC, held in Islamabad on 13 February 2025, have agreed as follows:
Institutional Framework and Political Cooperation
Bilateral institutional mechanisms
The HLSCC is the main political forum that guides bilateral relations in all fields.
The Joint Working Groups of the HLSCC will be named as “Joint Standing Committees” (JSC) henceforth to better reflect their permanent nature.
Three new JSCs, namely “Security, Defence, and Intelligence JSC”, “Health JSC” and “Science and Technology JSC”, have been established under the HLSCC mechanism.
The Plan of Action (annex) prepared as a result of the work carried out by the SEF will continue to be followed-up through the JSCs.
Both sides will nominate a designated entity for regular follow-up and monitoring of the implementation of decisions taken by the HLSCC.
The JSCs will review, update and amend, as appropriate, the agreements, protocols and MOUs in order to streamline their implementation.
The JSCs will also continue their work to develop specific programs and projects within a framework of enhanced economic cooperation with a view to reach the initial objective of a total bilateral trade volume of USD 5 billion. They will be responsible for defining overall scope of work, plan of action and execution schedule. In this regard, the JSCs will meet twice a year before the meetings of the HLSCC in Ankara and Islamabad.
The Terms of Reference of the JSCs will include:
a. Developing sectoral action plans;
b. Evaluating specific proposals for bilateral cooperation;
c. Implementation and achievement of sectoral results;
d. Finalization of progress reports and submission to the designated entity.
Considering the expanding scale of the HLSCC, a Joint Commission will be established for the effective implementation and follow-up of decisions of the HLSCC. The Joint Commission will be co-chaired by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and will consist of high-level representatives of relevant institutions, as necessary. The Joint Commission as the umbrella structure for all JSCs and thematic cooperation mechanisms in other areas will conduct its work in line with its own Terms of Reference. The designated entity and the Focal Points for each JSC will report to the Political Coordination JSC which in turn will report to the Joint Commission for annual overall review.
Regional and international issues
– Both sides exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest.
– The two sides underscore the need for resolution of all outstanding disputes between Pakistan and India, including the core dispute of Jammu and Kashmir, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiris. In this regard, Pakistan expresses its deep appreciation for Türkiye’s principled stance on the issue.
– The two countries reiterate full and resolute support for the efforts towards the just, lasting, and sustainable settlement of the Cyprus issue. Pakistan reaffirms its support to the Turkish Cypriots and to Türkiye in this regard. Türkiye expresses its deep appreciation for Pakistan’s principled stance on the issue.
– Both countries reiterate their support for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan and for advancement of international efforts aimed at building a more sustainable future for the Afghan people through continued, coordinated and coherent engagement with the interim Afghan authorities including on countering terrorism. In this regard, they underlined the importance of inclusive governance, and respect for fundamental rights, particularly of girls and women in Afghanistan. The two sides also stressed the need for sustaining humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people. They further underscored that Afghanistan should not become a safe haven for terrorist groups. All necessary measures to counter terrorism need to be taken by interim Afghan authorities including against TTP and DAESH, which remain listed under the 1267 UNSC sanctions regime.
– Both sides underscore the need for strengthening multilateralism, including through universal and consistent adherence to the fundamental principles of the UN Charter to address the existing and emerging international challenges, in an effective and credible manner.
– The two sides emphasized that the United Nations Security Council needs to be made more representative, democratic, transparent, and accountable through comprehensive United Nations Security Council reform process, based on widest possible consensus. In addition, they underlined the need for the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions to resolve the long-standing disputes on the agenda of the Security Council, especially those pertaining to the Muslim Ummah.
– The two sides expressed their grave concern at the unprecedented loss of lives and property as well as displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians as a result of indiscriminate use of force by Israel. Welcoming the Gaza ceasefire, they expressed hope that the truce would lead to a permanent and durable ceasefire. They urged the need for scaling up of humanitarian assistance, including through continued and unobstructed operation of UNRWA, return of all displaced Palestinians to their homes, as well as concerted international efforts for the early reconstruction of Gaza. They underscored that any attempts to displace the Palestinians from their land as well as to continue illegal settlements constitute blatant violation of the international law.
– Both sides urged the need to find a just and comprehensive solution for the establishment of a sovereign, independent, and contiguous Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
– Both sides stressed the importance of upholding arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation (ADN) instruments and objectives. Undermining those as well as exclusive approaches are regarded as detrimental to the credibility of the global non-proliferation regime and, in this regard, also to the strategic stability in South Asia.
– Both sides underscored the importance of work for global disarmament and non-proliferation objectives, safeguarding and strengthening international as well as regional security and promoting strategic stability, including in each other’s respective regions.
– Türkiye appreciates Pakistan’s commitment to non-proliferation as reiterated in the HLSCC and its adherence to the Nuclear Suppliers Group’s (NSG) Guidelines. Türkiye recognizes that as a country with an extensive experience in this area, Pakistan’s aspiration to membership of the NSG will contribute to the global non-proliferation objectives.
Fight against terrorism
– Both countries will continue to cooperate in the fight against terrorism, including through intelligence sharing, exchange of best practices and experiences in the areas of law enforcement, legislation, capacity building and strengthening of the respective AML/CFT regimes.
– The two sides will continue to cooperate at all international forums, in particular at the United Nations, OIC and other relevant inter-governmental organizations.
– Both sides underscored that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality or civilization. In line with the relevant OIC decisions, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to carry out joint efforts to broaden the scope of the UNSC sanctions regime by including in its scope individuals and entities associated with anti-Muslim racist and extremist groups for effectively responding to this evolving threat of terrorism.
– Both sides agreed to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation under the framework of Pakistan-Türkiye Counter Terrorism consultations and undertook to hold the next round of consultations in Ankara on mutually convenient dates.
– Türkiye notes with appreciation the exemplary continued measures taken by Pakistan against the Fetullah Gülen Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) including designation of FETÖ as a terrorist organization, and handing over of all linked schools to the Turkish Maarif Foundation.
Islamophobia
– Both sides recalled designation of 15 March as “International Day to Combat Islamophobia” by the UN General Assembly and called for early appointment of UN Special Envoy on Islamophobia in accordance with UNGA resolution 78/264.
– Parties welcomed the appointment of Prof. Dr. Mehmet Paçacı, former Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Islamabad, as the Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia of the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
– The two countries expressed their determination to continue working closely to combat Islamophobia, hate speech, efforts to link terrorism with Islam, and other manifestations of intolerance towards Muslims, including stereotyping of Muslims.
– Joint initiatives will be taken to counter stereotyping and defamation of Islam and Muslims, including incitement to acts of violence, xenophobia, and related intolerance and discrimination against Islam, its religious symbols, and venerated personalities, by means of print, audio-visual & electronic media, the Internet, as well as entertainment media such as movies, videos and digital games.
Cooperation at the multilateral forums
– The two countries shall continue to cooperate and coordinate at regional and international forums, particularly the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), and the D-8 Organization, etc. through, inter alia, mutual support for each other’s and joint initiatives, policies and candidacies.
– Work together in the fields of peace and security, development, arms control, counter terrorism, and climate change.
Other issues
– The two countries agree to work together bilaterally as well as at the global forums to address threats posed by the adverse effects of climate change; and explore avenues to enhance cooperation with regard to implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
– The two countries shall continue to work closely to address irregular migration and agreed to further develop cooperation on irregular migration and to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling. Türkiye acknowledges and notes with appreciation the measures being taken by Pakistan towards implementation of the Agreement on the Readmission of Persons Residing without Authorization as well as facilitation with regard to provision of documents of irregular migrants exiting from Türkiye.
– Keeping in view frequency, intensity and impact of disasters in two countries, it was agreed to enhance collaboration between the two countries in disaster response, rescue and relief work through their respective lead agencies i.e., National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Pakistan and Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD).
– The two countries agreed to continue the realization of various social and physical infrastructure and cultural projects in Pakistan through Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) within the framework of development cooperation.
Security and Defence
Both sides agreed to:
– Further expand cooperation in the defence and security spheres, including by prioritizing sourcing of their defence purchases from each other to the extent possible, and promoting possibilities for joint research and development as well as joint ventures, in accordance with their national laws and regulations and their relevant international commitments and obligations.
– Work together in carrying out joint research and development in the fields of space and defence industry.
– Enhance cooperation between the law enforcement institutions, departments and agencies of both countries through, inter alia, training activities and sharing of best practices, information sharing etc.
– Cooperate through relevant counter-terrorism institutions to develop methods and avenues of cooperation and information sharing, in keeping with the evolving nature of the threat, including in the areas of cyber-terrorism and cyber-crime.
– Promote joint ventures with the aim of indigenization of defence industry of both the countries.
Energy
Both sides agreed to:
– Encourage cooperation in human capacity building, especially in the fields of management of the distribution systems.
– Encourage technical assistance visit of TEDAŞ to Pakistan in the areas of power distribution, operation and maintenance.
– Explore cooperation opportunities on energy sector especially the Upstream, Mid-stream, Downstream, services, renewables, energy efficiency, and conservation.
– Enhance cooperation on exchanging views, experiences, and expertise in technology and technical matters in energy field.
– Encourage periodic meetings of the sub-groups on Hydrocarbons, Development of National Electricity Plan and Integrated Energy Plan, Regulatory Collaboration, Mining, Renewable Energy (including Geothermal Energy), and Energy Efficiency and Conservation.
– Welcomes participation of Turkish companies in the privatization process of Pakistani power distribution companies.
– Explore opportunities for collaboration with relevant institutions and organizations in Pakistan, particularly in the fields of geology and mining, with a focus on gold and other critical and strategic minerals.
– Establish a Sub-group on mining sector.
– Pakistan side welcomes Turkish investment in clean and green energy in Pakistan, especially participation in solar and hydro energy projects and setting up of manufacturing facilities in the clean energy sector.
Trade and Investment
Both sides agreed to:
– Review the existing bilateral trade and investment between the two countries and agreed to increase the level of economic engagement to mobilize the vast untapped potential in this regard.
– Continue collaboration to ensure effective implementation of the Trade in Goods Agreement (TGA) between the Government of the Republic of Türkiye and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, which came into force on 1st May 2023, including inter alia, information sharing of Tariff Rate Quotas.
– Confirm their intent to start technical discussions, within two months, aiming to upgrade the existing Trade in Goods Agreement by adding new products to concession lists and draft an Agreement on trade in services, digital trade and investment facilitation, preferably within a year.
– Continue and accelerate the work of the Joint Task Force to promote industrial partnerships for collaboration and to enhance bilateral trade and market access, focusing on priority sectors for both economies toward achieving the USD 5 billion trade volume target. In this regard, both sides will continue to support participation in trade fairs, expos, and periodic business forums, involving industrial associations, chambers of commerce, and private sector stakeholders.
– Express satisfaction on the conclusion of MoU on Halal Certification, and agreed to enhance technical cooperation in the field of halal quality infrastructure, reduce technical barriers to halal trade.
– Establish an electronic data exchange system for verification of origin certificates used in cross-border trade between Türkiye and Pakistan.
– Encourage the integration of Turkish and Pakistani SMEs onto their leading e-commerce market places, ensuring mutual accessibility.
– Foster cooperation in fintech, logistics, digital payments, AI for businesses, block chain and cyber security to support a transparent and efficient e-commerce ecosystem.
– Encourage co-development, co-production, and joint ventures between large companies and SMEs in priority industries.
– Promote mutual investments and joint ventures in priority areas including textile and apparel, agriculture, food processing, machinery, IT, mining, energy and electrical equipments, by leveraging complementary business strengths.
Banking and Finance
Both sides agreed to:
– Encourage their banking sectors to enhance cooperation in banking and finance, with a view to facilitate bilateral trade and investment between the two countries.
– Facilitate the opening-up of bank branches in each other’s countries.
– Enhance cooperation between their Central Banks by initiating a dialogue with a view to finalizing an MoU on Technical Cooperation and discussing the possibility of renewing the Currency Swap Agreement (CSA).
– Knowledge sharing and mutual technical assistance in the areas of Risk Based Approach for Supervision on anti-money laundering, misuse of payment system including new payment methods, and enhancing cooperation between financial monitoring units of both countries.
– Cooperate in the areas of Islamic Banking and Finance, online banking, fintech, cross border payments and remittances, green financing, and market research.
– Both sides expressed their appreciation regarding the signing of the much anticipated MoU between Türk Eximbank and Pakistan Eximbank during the 7th HLSCC. Through this MoU, cooperation in third countries and exchange of experience and information between both institutions is envisaged.
Transport and Communications
Both sides agreed to:
– Devise all required mechanisms for boosting activities in various fields of Communications & Transport Sector including roads, rail, air, sea, postal and IT & Telecom to their full potential by utilizing all available options.
– Implement bilateral agreements in all the modes of transport i.e., Road, Rail, Sea and Air, as a step towards promoting bilateral trade and cooperation between the two countries.
– Further boost the bilateral cooperation and trade activities between the two countries by fully operationalizing Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) train and road corridor, and in this regard closely cooperate, inter alia, by removing any hurdles in a timely manner, standardizing the processes, and working on a comprehensive roadmap to make the ITI train project and road corridor commercially viable and cost and time effective.
– Collaborate in the field of express and logistic services and e-commerce through Postal Network to enhance cooperation in ICT based postal services between the two countries.
– Encourage participation of Turkish companies in mega road and railway construction projects.
– Jointly develop an elaborative roadmap for the development of Türkiye-Pakistan Transport Corridor (TURPAK), with a view to enhance multimodal connectivity, logistics infrastructure, partnership between ports and special economic zones.
– Build linkages and connectivity between their various regional connectivity initiatives.
Education
Both sides agreed to:
– Promote exchanges between universities, technical and vocational institutes and other academic institutes including through knowledge and experience sharing, faculty and student exchanges and joint researches and projects; and in this regard grant higher education scholarships.
– Work on establishing direct linkages between universities of both the countries, with the objective of yearly increase in the number of collaborations.
– Launch joint academic programs to support research in advanced fields like engineering, technology management, and quantum computing.
– Encourage collaborative research papers, patents, and publications, particularly in science journals and international conferences.
– Promote collaboration in the field of literature and arts through joint exhibitions, and seminars.
– Strengthen the linkages between the think tanks research institutions of both the countries and support symposiums and conferences to bring together intellectuals from both the countries.
– Promote the relationship between the Technical and Vocational Training Institutes and Schools of Türkiye and Pakistan through International Sister Schools practice.
– Share expertise, curricula, qualification standards, and market analysis toolkits regarding Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) by Türkiye to Pakistan.
– Conclude the “Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Türkiye and the Government of the Islamic Republic” of Pakistan on Cooperation Regarding Educational Institutions” as well as “Cooperation Protocol between the Government of the Republic of Türkiye and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the fields of Vocational and Technical Education and Religious Education.”
Health
Both sides agreed to:
– Work together to enhance cooperation in the health and pharmaceutical sectors, through joint ventures, business collaborations, bilateral investments, conferences, etc.
– Organize joint health exposition on mutually agreed dates as well as to facilitate the participation of companies in each other’s health-related fairs to showcase health related services and products, and create linkages between private sector of the two countries.
– Promote collaboration in the field of health tourism by bringing relevant private entities together and developing a roadmap under the coordination of USHAŞ (International Health Services Inc).
– Develop linkages between Turkish Medicines and Medical Device Agency to coordinate with Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan for the possible collaboration in the field of pharmaceuticals, biologicals, medical devices and health products.
– Set-up healthcare professional programs for doctors, nurses, healthcare administrators and relevant health professionals from both countries.
– Encourage joint research on common health challenges such as infectious diseases, maternal health, and non-communicable diseases as well as exchange on knowledge and experience on healthcare policy analyses and medical innovations.
– Sharing knowledge and experience in the field of telemedicine, electronic health records (EHRs), health information systems and digital health services.
Culture and Tourism
Both sides agreed to:
– Facilitate avenues of enhancing people-to-people interaction between the two countries.
– Strengthen relations including social, cultural, academic and establish “Shura of Fraternity”, the format and terms of reference of which will be concluded in consultation with the relevant institutions.
– Enhance cooperation in the area of culture, tourism, film, drama and information and communication and public diplomacy.
– Provide more visibility domestically, especially amongst the youth of both countries on the historical and cultural bonds between the two brotherly nations.
– Promote the regular exchange of media delegations and joint media productions.
– Advancement of cultural relations between Pakistan and Türkiye through opening of cultural centers in each other’s countries.
– Initiate Joint-ventures in film production and release of feature films in each other’s market on reciprocal basis.
– Encouraging joint initiatives in the tourism and media sectors.
– Türkiye to provide technical support to Pakistan in the development of its tourism sector, including, inter alia, in the fields of marketing, development and running of touristic attractions, planning, standardization, etc.
– Provide technical training to Pakistan in the areas of restoration and conservation of cultural heritage and museology.
Science and Technology
Both sides agreed to:
– Work closely in the IT field, under joint initiatives and strengthen collaboration amongst technoparks, Special Technology Zones (STAs), and R&D centres.
– Enhance the linkages between IT companies of both the countries through joint seminars, expos, conferences as well as hosting IT companies in each other’s technoparks/ technology zones.
– Collaborate in digital and green transformation, e-governance, block chain, e-commerce, and gaming.
– Work in the areas of responsible and peaceful uses of new and emerging technologies such as space, nano, cyber security, artificial intelligence, peaceful nuclear technologies, green technologies, electric vehicles, and bio-technologies.
– Work towards the establishment of Türkiye-Pakistan IT Business Council.
– Encourage Türkiye’s participation in Pakistan’s Cyber Fusion Centre.
– Jointly train young IT professionals on new technologies and build the capacity of start-ups/incubation centres and commercialization of R&D in Science and Technology & IT and develop their linkages.
Agriculture, Food Security, and Water
Both sides agreed to:
– Carry out collaboration in seed testing, research, and production as well as plant breeder rights, and seed catalogue system.
– Encourage joint ventures between companies of the two countries in the field of agriculture, horticulture, food processing, and feedlot fattening and water management.
– Work together in joint meat production and animal breeding, animal vaccine production in Pakistan, identification and registration of vaccines
– Türkiye to impart training on seed production, artificial insemination, food processing chain, marine cage fishing and embryo technologies.
– Work together for development of dairy products technology, production of high value fish species, quality assurance of fish products, food processing, packaging and cold storage facilities.
– Collaborate and share expertise in Early Flood Warning Systems, management and development of water resources, and forest fire forecasting.
– Deepen cooperation in environmental and climate change issues, with a particular focus on Zero Waste approach.
Follow-up
The next meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council shall be held in Ankara. The dates shall be agreed upon through diplomatic channels.
