Turkish envoy calls for stronger Pakistan-Turkiye partnership across sectors

LAHORE: Ambassador of Turkiye Irfan Neziroglu has said that Turkiye and Pakistan enjoy deep-rooted historical ties, and that Turkiye is keen to strengthen cooperation with Pakistan across multiple sectors, including defence, tourism, business, agriculture and higher education.

He was speaking at a meeting held at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), where LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad, Senior Vice President Engineer Khalid Usman and Vice President Shahid Nazir Chaudhry also addressed the gathering.

The ambassador emphasised the need for a shift in mindset, stating that “we are one nation and must act in unison with a sense of common purpose.” He said there is immense potential to boost trade and economic ties between the two brotherly nations.

Shad expressed deep gratitude to the people of Turkiye for standing firmly with Pakistan in critical times. He highlighted the strong diplomatic ties between the two countries, underpinned by shared cultural, religious, and geopolitical bonds.

He welcomed the growing cooperation between the two nations in a range of fields including the economy, politics, defence and cultural exchange.

Shad noted that the Preferential Trade Agreement signed in 2022 had paved the way for expanding bilateral trade. “We are determined to make the most of the 261 tariff lines provided by Turkiye for easier market access,” he said.