During the course of his trip, the Prime Minister is scheduled to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which will be followed by discussions at the delegation level.
In addition to discussing the bilateral relations between Pakistan and Turkey, the two leaders will also exchange views on various issues pertaining to the region as well as the world. Following the conclusion of their meetings, they will also participate in a press conference together.
Meeting for Investors in Industry
The Prime Minister of Turkey will engage in extensive conversation with prominent Turkish businessmen as well as potential investors from a variety of industries.
In addition to this, he is scheduled to participate in a Pakistan-Turkey Business Council Forum that will be held under the auspices of the Turkish Foreign Economic Relations Board.
The business engagements will also include participation from a business delegation from Pakistan consisting of representatives of leading companies operating in a variety of industries.
In addition, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, will pay a visit to the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who was the founder of the Republic of Turkey, and will issue a commemorative plaque alongside the President of Turkey to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
“Support on any and all matters”
Earlier, the Prime Minister praised the “exemplary” relations that exist between Pakistan and Turkey, stating that both nations support one another on all issues that are of fundamental importance, including the disputes that are associated with occupied Kashmir and Northern Cyprus.
In advance of his trip to Turkey, which would last for three days, he discussed these ideas in an interview with the Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency.
During the interview, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that Pakistan and Turkey have provided unwavering support to one another over the past seventy-five years. These historical connections are not affected by the political shifts that have taken place on either side because they are rooted firmly in shared religious, cultural, and linguistic ties.
He stated that the two countries shared similar perspectives on a variety of international and regional issues and worked closely together in a variety of bilateral, regional, and multilateral forums.
In addition, he expressed gratitude to the leadership of Turkey for its unwavering support on the Kashmir issue.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan stated that even though cultural and people-to-people relations between the two countries were heading in a positive direction, the primary focus of Pakistan at this time was to increase economic cooperation.
“The current level of bilateral trade does not yet accurately reflect the fantastic health of our relationship. This needs to change. This is another area in which both countries have the potential to seize enormous opportunities. During the course of this trip, I will be meeting with prominent Turkish business companies in order to persuade them to take advantage of the enormous opportunities that are currently available in Pakistan in a variety of different sectors, such as the energy sector, the infrastructure sector, the e-commerce sector, the municipal agro-based industry sector, and the information technology sector, etc.
Dealing in trade with India
In response to a question regarding Pakistan’s commercial ties with India, Prime Minister Shehbaz stated that both countries stood “to gain a great deal from trade that was beneficial to both parties.”
He recalled that Pakistan had decided to downgrade its relations with India after India revoked the special autonomy granted to occupied Kashmir on August 5, 2019. This decision was made by Pakistan.
“We are aware of the economic dividends that could be accumulated from a robust level of trade activity with India. However, it is difficult to imagine that progress can be made on the trade front in the wake of continued brutalization of the Kashmiri people, attempts to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory, and continued denial by India of the rights of the Kashmiris.
He went on to say that India would be the party responsible for normalising relations between the two countries by rethinking the decision it made in August 2019 and fostering an atmosphere that is amenable to dialogue.
Pak-US ties
When the Prime Minister of Pakistan was asked about Pakistan’s position in the United States’ policy regarding the Asia-Pacific region, he responded by saying that the relationship between the two countries was “longstanding and broad-based.”
He pointed out that the United States was Pakistan’s largest export market as well as a major source of investment and revenue, and he stated that Pakistan desired to broaden and deepen its engagement with the United States.
He went on to say that there was a significant amount of room for improvement in the areas of commerce, investment, and trade that were involved in this connection.
Additionally, the Prime Minister of Pakistan called on businesses located in the United States to establish operations in Pakistan, particularly in the field of information technology.
PTI has been invited to discuss the economy’s charter.
It was emphasised by the Prime Minister that the coalition government led by the PML-N did not believe in “any kind of polarisation,” as Prime Minister Shehbaz put it. He went on to say that “almost all” political forces from the provinces were involved in the formation of the current government, with the exception of the PTI.
“I believe in political accommodation and dialogue. Because of this, I have extended an invitation to any and all political forces, including the PTI, to come together and reach a consensus on the economic charter. In order for Pakistan to break the cycle of economic boom and bust and achieve economic stability, it is essential that all political forces collaborate to establish the ground rules of the game. These ground rules should ensure the continuity of economic policies and provide an environment that is conducive to accomplishing this goal.
While we are acutely aware of the dangers posed by political polarisation, our efforts are currently focused on fostering political dialogue and engagement.
He noted that Pakistan was facing several challenges, including external fiscal pressures, inflation, and rising food prices, and stated that the PML-N government’s priority since coming into power in April has been to stabilise the economy. He also noted that Pakistan was facing several challenges.
“We are paying the price for the indecision of the previous government, for example, the failure to purchase fuel in a timely manner and the absence of strategic reserves of essential commodities, which was subsequently followed by purchases at a higher price. “We are paying the price for the indecision of the previous government.” This had an effect on the less fortunate people.
He went on to say that the current administration was intent on enhancing socioeconomic indicators, particularly for the more marginalised members of the population. He went on to say that the government was working on a relief package for the poor, a reduction in fiscal deficit, a tighter monetary policy, and building strategic reserves of essential commodities.
“We are hopeful that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will release the next tranche, which will build the confidence of the international market for investment in Pakistan, and will therefore alleviate the pressure on foreign exchange reserves.”
CPEC
Prime Minister Shehbaz stated that Pakistan fully supported the five-pronged approach that China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) takes, with the emphasis being placed on people-to-people linkages, financial cooperation, trade facilitation, policy consultation, and physical connectivity.
“With the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC for short, we have successfully realised the BRI’s ideals as well as the shared vision that our two countries had. Our cooperation along the Belt and Road will hasten the process of industrial and economic modernization in Pakistan. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has entered a new phase of high-quality development.
In addition, he stated that “Pakistan is committed to the high-quality development of CPEC,” which includes the enhancement of Pakistan’s railways’ infrastructure and the full realisation of the potential of Gwadar Port.
It is essential to maintain dialogue with the Afghan government.
The prime minister also stated that engaging with the interim government in Afghanistan was not a matter of choice but rather a necessity that must be fulfilled.
The Afghan people are too important for the rest of the world to ignore. “It must take on the responsibility of immediately addressing the country’s humanitarian crisis and fragile economy,” he said, adding that a “total collapse” of the country’s economy would be disastrous for both the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as the rest of the international community.
It is important to keep in mind, as he did so, that “the outflow of refugees and transnational terrorism from a destabilised Afghanistan does not serve the interests of anyone.”
“Pakistan is also emphasising to the interim government the importance of living up to their international commitments, which include that the country will not be used for terrorism, that girls and women will be able to pursue education, and that they will form a government that is inclusive. It is important for the international community to maintain engagement with them regarding these commitments.
When the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz, was asked if the government of Afghanistan had given assurances that its land would not be used against Pakistan, his response was as follows: “The current authorities in Kabul have repeatedly given assurances to us as well as to the wider international community that they would not allow their soil to be used against any country.”
“Also, they have pledged to take severe actions against any and all terrorist organisations and to eliminate any safe havens that may exist on their territory.”
The prime minister stated that he had high expectations that the Afghan government would uphold the commitments it had made.
