ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Wednesday that Pakistan and Turkiye are actively pursuing the establishment of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Karachi dedicated to Turkish entrepreneurs. The initiative aims to further strengthen the growing economic partnership between the two countries.
The announcement came during a joint press conference at the Foreign Office in Islamabad, held alongside Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who arrived earlier today on an official visit. Also accompanying Fidan is Turkiye’s Minister of National Defence, Yasar Guler, who is currently visiting Pakistan.
Dar highlighted the strong bilateral ties between Pakistan and Turkiye, grounded in shared cultural, religious, and historical bonds, as well as mutual respect. In February, the two nations had pledged to increase bilateral trade to $5 billion during a visit to Islamabad by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“We are pursuing the establishment of a Special Economic Zone dedicated to Turkish entrepreneurs at Karachi,” Dar said, emphasizing the commitment to deepen economic collaboration.
In addition to the SEZ, Dar discussed the revival of the Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad train service, stating that delegations from the three countries would meet soon to finalize the roadmap for restoring this important regional connectivity project.
The deputy prime minister also mentioned Pakistan’s allocation of land for the construction of a Maarif School in Muzaffarabad, run by the Turkish Maarif Foundation, which currently operates more than 80 schools across Pakistan. “A Maarif Foundation delegation is visiting Muzaffarabad today to evaluate the site,” he added.
Further, Dar revealed that Turkish companies are under consideration for involvement in major infrastructure projects, including the Jinnah Medical Complex and Daanish University in Islamabad. These companies are also expected to participate in offshore drilling projects and the privatization of electricity distribution companies in Pakistan’s power sector.
“We are actively engaged in various activities, including capacity building and counterterrorism cooperation,” Dar noted.
He also praised Turkiye’s impressive progress in defense industry indigenization, increasing local production from 20 percent to 80 percent in recent years, and expressed Pakistan’s interest in learning from Turkiye’s expertise.
Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan underscored the strategic importance of defense cooperation between the two countries and reaffirmed their joint commitment to counterterrorism efforts. He referenced a recent joint operation resulting in the arrest of a high-ranking terrorist, emphasizing continued collaboration.
Fidan also praised Pakistan’s “wisdom-oriented attitude” amid recent regional tensions with India and highlighted expanding cooperation in energy sectors including mining, precious stones, natural gas, and oil. He further noted growing ties in education and culture.
Reiterating the goal to boost bilateral trade to $5 billion, Fidan expressed determination to elevate Pakistan-Turkiye relations to new heights.
Following the meetings, Ishaq Dar posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Held productive discussions on the entire gamut of bilateral relations and exchanged views on key regional and global developments. Pakistan and Türkiye share deep-rooted bonds of brotherhood, mutual trust, and strategic cooperation.”
