Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s prime minister, has pledged to make the country self-sufficient and politically stable, while also promising to seek to increase bilateral trade with Turkey.
Shehbaz told Anadolu Agency in an exclusive interview ahead of his three-day official visit to Ankara that while Islamabad wants to strengthen and broaden its relationship with the US, it is also focused on infrastructure development under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
He noted that the two countries’ bilateral connections are solidly rooted in common religious, cultural, and linguistic ties and that they transcend political changes on both sides.
“In these seven and a half decades, the two sides have always stood by each other in the face of all changes,” the premier said. “Pakistan and Turkey support each other on all issues of core national interest – whether it is Jammu and Kashmir or Northern Cyprus.”
Expressing his desire to boost economic cooperation, he said, “The current level of bilateral trade is still not a true reflection of the excellent state of our relationship. This is also an area where immense opportunities exist for both countries.”
He went on to say that he will urge Turkish enterprises to engage in a variety of areas, including energy, infrastructure, e-commerce, municipal agro-based industries, and IT.
Prime Minister Shehbaz remarked that Pakistan and the United States have a long-standing and broad-based cooperation in a variety of areas of mutual interest.
“We believe that our continued constructive engagement can promote peace, security, and development in the region,” he said. “We wish to deepen and widen our engagement with the US, which remains Pakistan’s biggest export market and a major source of FDI and remittances.”
He also stated that Pakistan has established talks with the United States in a variety of areas, including climate change, health, energy, trade, and investment, and that the two countries are celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations this year.
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