Turkish president ‘due on Feb 12’

ISLAMABAD: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to arrive here on February 12 to co-chair the 7th session of the Pakistan-Turkey High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on February 13, official sources told The News.

“The HLSCC is the highest level decision-making forum, providing strategic direction to further strengthening of relations between the two countries”, said the official.

This will be President Erdogan’s first official visit to Pakistan after the formation of the new government here in March 2024.

The HLSCC was established in 2009 as a framework for consultations at the highest level between Pakistan and Turkiye and provides a mechanism for strategic focus as well as direction to the bilateral relationship and also helps chart a vision for the future.

All eyes are on the Joint Declaration of the 7th session HLSCC, which is expected to be released at the end of meeting. In the past the focus was on enhancing cooperation in defence, security, trade, economic collaboration, and cultural exchange.

Six sessions of the HLSCC have been held so far, alternately in Islamabad and Ankara.

The Foreign Office (FO) in a statement on Friday, while noting preparations for the HSLCC, did not mention the visit of President Erdogan, the dates or any details of the Turkish entourage accompanying the Turkish dignitary and his engagements here. On his last visit in 2020, Erdogan, besides attending the HLSCC in a joint cabinet format, had also addressed the Pakistan-Turkey Business and Investment Forum while also addressing a joint session of Parliament, which he has done on previous visits as well. He was accompanied by a delegation comprising cabinet members and senior government officials, as well as heads and CEOs of leading Turkish corporations. Several important agreements/MoUs were also concluded.

According to the FO, Deputy Prime Minister /Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting on Friday to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for enhancing trade, economic and investment cooperation between Pakistan and Türkiye.

“He reviewed progress on the Strategic Economic Framework 2020-24, discussed recent initiatives and explored new proposals to strengthen the economic ties between the two countries. This meeting is part of preparations for the 7th Session of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), to be held in Islamabad”, said the statement.

There are seven joint working groups (JWGs) working under the HLSCC, focused on political coordination; trade and investment; energy; banking and finance; transport and communications; culture and tourism; and education.

The Strategic Economic Framework (SEF), signed at the 6th Session of HLSCC in 2020 between former Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Erdogan, had 71 action points for deeper cooperation between the two countries in diverse fields, bilateral ties and enhance cooperation in multiple areas. Pakistan maintains that both countries place a strong emphasis on forging a robust economic relationship. There is also a joint resolve to translate historic amity into vibrant cooperation in diverse fields, including in the context of combating Islamophobia, promoting Islamic solidarity, and advancing shared goals of regional peace, security and stability.