Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif's Visit to Türkiye (July 2026)

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Visit to Türkiye is an official visit carried out by Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, taking place in Istanbul from 3–4 July 2026. During the visit, bilateral and inter-delegation meetings were held with President Erdoğan, a joint press conference was convened, and the “Türkiye-Pakistan Business Forum” was held in Istanbul.

^{President Erdoğan welcomes Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in an official ceremony, 4 July 2026 - (Anadolu Agency)}

Prior to his departure to Istanbul, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the funeral ceremony of Iranian Religious Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died in a U.S.-Israel airstrike on 28 February 2026.

Prime Minister Sharif was received at Istanbul Atatürk Airport on 3 July 2026 by Türkiye’s Minister of Trade, Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Ankara Yusuf Cüneyd, and officials from Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Pakistani Embassy. Accompanying Prime Minister Sharif on the visit were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Ishak Dar and Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar.

President’s Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, in a statement posted on his social media account prior to the visit, indicated that discussions would review all dimensions of Türkiye-Pakistan relations, with trade and investment as top priorities, address regional and global developments, and include the organization of a Business Forum during the visit.

Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat, in a social media post on 3 July 2026, confirmed that he welcomed Prime Minister Sharif in Istanbul as a guest of President Erdoğan. Bolat emphasized that relations between the two countries are rooted in deep brotherhood, mutual trust and shared goals, adding: “We continue our efforts to advance our relations in all areas, especially in trade, investment and economic cooperation. We are determined to strengthen our unity and solidarity with our friend and brother Pakistan and crown our strategic partnership with new achievements. We hope this visit will further strengthen the deep-rooted friendship and brotherhood between Türkiye and Pakistan. Welcome to our country, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.”

^{President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, 4 July 2026 - (Anadolu Agency)}

On 4 July 2026, President Erdoğan formally welcomed Prime Minister Sharif at Vahdettin Köşkü. Following the welcome ceremony, President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Sharif held a bilateral meeting. The closed-door meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, Head of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) İbrahim Kalın, President’s Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, and President’s Chief Advisor for National Security and Foreign Policy Akif Çağatay Kılıç. The meeting lasted approximately one hour.

Following the bilateral meeting, President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Sharif proceeded to an inter-delegation meeting. Also in attendance at the closed-door session were Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler, Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, MİT Chief İbrahim Kalın, President’s Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, President’s Chief Advisor for Foreign Policy and Security Akif Çağatay Kılıç, and Pakistani officials.

^{President Erdoğan and Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif hold an inter-delegation meeting, 4 July 2026 - (Anadolu Agency)}

Following the bilateral and inter-delegation meetings, President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Sharif held a joint press conference at Vahdettin Köşkü.

President Erdoğan expressed his pleasure at hosting Prime Minister Sharif and his delegation in Istanbul, offered condolences to Prime Minister Sharif on behalf of Türkiye and its people for the victims of the bus accident in Pakistan’s Balochistan province that resulted in fatalities, and prayed for their eternal peace. Erdoğan stated: “During today’s discussions, we exchanged views on bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues.”

Regarding the Islamabad Accord, Erdoğan said: “First, thanks to the calm achieved through the Islamabad Accord, the entire world has taken a deep breath. Recent reports in the international media reveal the difficulties encountered during the negotiation process.” He added that he congratulated Prime Minister Sharif and the Pakistani people for their significant contribution to achieving this outcome.

^{President Erdoğan and Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif hold a joint press conference, 4 July 2026 - (Anadolu Agency)}

On regional developments, Erdoğan stated: “We have consistently supported and continue to support every step aimed at reducing tensions in our region and resolving disputes through diplomacy. We are closely monitoring provocations by the Israeli administration aimed at undermining the agreement. The Zionist killing apparatus, which links political stability in the region to the continuation of conflict, is not allowing Lebanon or Syria to rest.” Erdoğan further added: “Israeli occupation forces continue their unlawful and inhumane attacks against the oppressed people of Gaza. We must not allow the current Israeli government, addicted to war, to once again drown our region in gunpowder and blood. Türkiye desires an environment in which all inhabitants of the region, regardless of faith, live in peace and security.” He emphasized: “No solution can be lasting without the will and contribution of regional countries. We will continue working in solidarity with our brother countries, led by Pakistan, to strengthen peace, stability and prosperity in our region.”

^{President Erdoğan and Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif hold a joint press conference, 4 July 2026 - (Anadolu Agency)}

On economic relations, President Erdoğan stated: “We also addressed today the steps we can take to further develop our commercial and investment ties in line with this solidarity. We reaffirmed our goal of increasing our trade volume to the previously set target of five billion dollars. Our ministries of trade are actively working on establishing a special economic zone in Karachi for Turkish investors. Similarly, negotiations are ongoing to expand the scope of our preferential trade agreement.”

Prime Minister Sharif, speaking at the Business Forum held the same day, expressed confidence that it would contribute significantly to economic and trade ties between the two countries, saying: “We are also encouraging our investors to increase their activities in Pakistan. Our cooperation in the defense industry, one of the most important pillars of our economic relations, is growing daily with new projects. I believe these phased initiatives will strengthen Pakistan’s capabilities. We aim to deepen cooperation with Pakistan in energy, transportation, critical minerals and information technology. Today, I reaffirmed our determination with Prime Minister Sharif.”

In his speech, Prime Minister Sharif said: “We can say that Pakistan and Türkiye are two hearts beating as one. Türkiye has stood firmly by our side even under the most difficult circumstances. As Pakistan, we will continue to stand with Türkiye. We will sustain this solidarity on the issue of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. We have consistently demonstrated this stance and renew our infinite commitment. Türkiye’s success is Pakistan’s success. Pakistan’s progress is Türkiye’s progress.”

The “Türkiye-Pakistan Business Forum,” held at a hotel in Istanbul, commenced on 4 July 2026. Attendees included Prime Minister Sharif, Pakistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Muhammad Ishak Dar, Türkiye’s Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat, Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, and numerous invited guests. The forum opened with a recitation of the Quran and the national anthems of both countries. The opening address was delivered by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Ankara, Yusuf Cüneyd, who emphasized that under the leadership of President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Sharif, economic cooperation between the two countries has deepened further. He highlighted that the long-standing political ties between Türkiye and Pakistan have translated into economic partnership and underscored the goal of further enhancing trade, investment and industrial cooperation between the two nations.

^{Türkiye-Pakistan Business Forum, 4 July 2026 - (Anadolu Agency)}

Pakistan’s Minister of Privatization Muhammad Ali, in his presentation at the forum, stated that his country has regained economic stability and invited Turkish investors to take advantage of opportunities in privatization, public-private partnership projects and special economic zones. Ali said: “Our work is not yet complete, but we are continuing our efforts and achieving encouraging progress.” He noted that under the privatization program, electricity distribution companies, airports, insurance institutions and other state assets have been opened to investors, and expressed interest in learning from Türkiye’s experience in electricity distribution privatization.

Pakistan’s Minister of Petroleum Pervaiz Malik, in his presentation, stated that Pakistan holds over 178 oil exploration licenses and has achieved a success rate of approximately 35 percent in drilling operations, which exceeds the global average. Malik noted that Pakistan returned to offshore exploration in 2025 after a 20-year hiatus and that some of the 23 blocks offered in the tender were won by Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO). He added that TPAO will open an office in Islamabad and expressed hope that Turkish seismic survey vessels will begin operations in September–October.

Pakistan’s Minister of Energy for Power Affairs Sardar Awais Leghari emphasized that the energy sector holds strategic importance for the Pakistani government. He stated that the private sector will play a critical role in managing distribution companies and that the ultimate goal is full private sector operation of these entities. Leghari noted that the Pakistani government has undertaken major reforms in the electricity market and will no longer directly purchase electricity from state-owned generation companies, transitioning instead to a market-based competitive model.

Pakistan’s Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja reported in her presentation that Pakistan’s IT sector has recorded 20 percent growth over the past three years. She noted that Pakistani freelance software developers and technology experts serve more than 70 countries, with 61 percent of IT exports going to North America, 19 percent to Europe, 12.5 percent to Gulf countries and 7 percent to Asia. Khawaja emphasized that Pakistan has a youth population exceeding 150 million and highlighted significant tax incentives provided under the country’s digital transformation vision to attract investment in the technology sector.

Prime Minister Sharif delivered a speech at the “Türkiye-Pakistan Business Forum.” He expressed his great pleasure at being in Istanbul, stating: “Türkiye is one of Pakistan’s most loyal allies worldwide. This fraternal bond between our two countries dates back centuries—in fact, it predates Pakistan’s founding in 1947.”

^{Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif speaks at the “Türkiye-Pakistan Business Forum,” 4 July 2026 - (Anadolu Agency)}

Sharif continued: “Now is the time for Pakistan, with the strong support of our beloved brother President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to mediate peace between the United States and Iran. This was not an easy task—it was extremely difficult. Had it not been for the sincere support of President Erdoğan and other friendly and brotherly countries, this mission would have been nearly impossible. But praise be to God, we have reached this point today.”

Confirming that the ceasefire under the Islamabad Accord has entered into force, Sharif said: “The Islamabad Accord was signed by U.S. President Donald Trump, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and myself representing Pakistan as mediator. Now we must seize this opportunity and fully realize the immense potential of this peace process—not only for our bilateral interests but for the entire region.” On industrial transformation, he remarked: “Your industry has undergone a complete transformation. Today, your automotive sector is on par with Europe’s. Your textile, livestock and agriculture sectors are too. This is a kind of miracle achieved over the past 20 years under the leadership of President Erdoğan. We are here today to learn from your experience and benefit from your remarkable success stories.” Sharif announced that a dedicated zone within the Karachi Industrial Park will be allocated for Turkish investors.

Highlighting Pakistan’s richness in rare mineral resources, Sharif said: “Now, thanks to our joint cooperation, the time has come to explore these natural resources. I believe there are no boundaries.” He drew attention to the fact that 60 percent of Pakistan’s 240 million population is aged between 15 and 30, emphasizing the immense potential of its youthful demographic. Sharif stated that Pakistan’s large youth population can be transformed into an economic advantage through artificial intelligence-driven initiatives and technology investments.

Sharif emphasized that Pakistan has undertaken comprehensive reforms in its energy sector and has received strong support from Türkiye. He noted that President Erdoğan, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar and the Turkish business community are eager to invest in Pakistan. He stated that his priority is company-to-company cooperation and that if necessary, government-to-government models can also be activated.

Sharif recalled how Türkiye has stood by Pakistan throughout history during difficult times, saying: “Just last year, when Pakistan was subjected to a war despite having committed no offense and was forced to defend our land, honor and dignity, our armed forces under the command of General Asim Munir defeated our enemy in just four to five days in a manner never seen before. And during that time, among the few brotherly countries, who stood by Pakistan? Türkiye. Türkiye stood by us like a rock.” He noted that Türkiye faced certain commercial losses as a result and added: “They said, ‘If we are helping or supporting a brother, then the financial losses do not matter. There are costs in this process, but they are not a price.’”

Calling for the concrete implementation of the forum’s presentations and speeches, Sharif said: “Let these remarks, presentations, words and speeches be transformed into action and implemented at lightning speed—not only to achieve tangible results, but to declare to the entire world that this friendship, built on mutual trust, respect and dignity, has evolved into an unprecedented form of economic cooperation and transformation. If we are ready to accept this challenge, I assure you that nothing—neither the Bosporus, nor the mountains, nor the world’s largest ocean—can stand in our way.”

In the week preceding the visit, Türkiye and Pakistan signed three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) aimed at strengthening institutional cooperation, technical collaboration and information sharing in the energy sector. The MoUs were signed between Pakistan’s Independent System and Market Operator (ISMO) and Türkiye’s Energy Market Operations Inc. (EPİAŞ), between ISMO and Türkiye Electricity Transmission Corporation (TEYAŞ), and between Pakistan’s Power Planning and Monitoring Company (PPMC) and Türkiye Electricity Distribution Corporation (TEDAŞ).