ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday arrived in Turkiye on a two-day visit, which he said would unpack “untapped potential” of bilateral ties between the two countries.
The prime minister, along with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will jointly inaugurate the third of the four MILGEM corvette ships for Pakistan Navy at the Istanbul shipyard.
The two leaders will also hold wide-ranging discussions encompassing bilateral relations, the regional situation and matters of common interest, according to the Pakistani foreign office.
“Inauguration of third MILGEM Corvette Ship represents deepening of defense cooperation between our two brotherly countries. High level exchanges are a defining feature of our partnership,” PM Sharif said on Twitter Friday.
“Being in Turkiye feels like being home, overwhelmed by the warmth of our Turkish brothers and sisters. Our bilateral ties have entered a new era of strategic partnership under the leadership of President Erdogan. We are on course to unpack the full untapped potential of relationship.”
The launching ceremony for the first MILGEM corvette ship for Pakistan Navy was held in Istanbul in August 2021, while the groundbreaking for the second ship was held in Karachi in May this year.
The MILGEM project, based on joint collaboration between the two countries, represents a significant milestone in the Pakistan-Turkiye strategic partnership which has continued to progress over the years.
During the visit, the foreign office said, PM Sharif will also interact with leaders of the Turkish business community as well as the President of the ECO Trade and Development Bank (ETDB) in Istanbul.
