ISTANBUL: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has invited Turkish investors to explore opportunities in Pakistan’s key economic sectors, including energy, mining, minerals, power infrastructure, information technology (IT), manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, tourism, and defence industries, as the government intensifies efforts to attract foreign investment and strengthen bilateral economic ties.
Addressing the Pakistan-Türkiye Business Conference in Istanbul, Dar said these sectors offer significant potential for commercial growth while promoting technology transfer, industrial modernization, and employment generation.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Dar highlighted that the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has launched an ambitious programme of economic reforms aimed at ensuring macroeconomic stability, restoring investor confidence, improving the business environment, and making Pakistan a more attractive destination for investment.
The foreign minister also stressed the importance of collaboration in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), digital innovation, financial technology (FinTech), advanced manufacturing, and research partnerships, describing them as critical drivers of future economic competitiveness. He encouraged greater cooperation between universities, research institutions, and the private sectors of both countries.
Describing Pakistan and Türkiye as long-standing strategic partners, Dar said the two nations have consistently supported each other on regional security, humanitarian issues, and core national interests, creating a foundation of mutual trust that should now be translated into stronger economic cooperation.
“The challenge before us is to transform this exceptional political and brotherly relationship into an equally dynamic economic partnership,” he said, noting that the global economy is being reshaped by geopolitical shifts, technological transformation, evolving supply chains, the energy transition, and changing investment patterns.
Dar emphasized that countries capable of building resilient economic partnerships and diversifying trade relations would be better positioned to succeed in the evolving global landscape. He said Pakistan and Türkiye, strategically located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia, are uniquely positioned to serve as regional trade and investment hubs.
Calling economic diplomacy the cornerstone of modern international relations, the foreign minister urged the embassies, trade missions, investment promotion agencies, and business communities of both countries to work more closely to facilitate trade, encourage investment, and eliminate barriers facing businesses.
He also called for greater economic self-reliance between the two countries, urging Pakistan and Türkiye to deepen commercial cooperation and compete together in international markets through stronger partnerships.
Dar said the conference should send a clear message that Pakistan and Türkiye are committed to building a future based on shared prosperity, innovation, and regional stability.
The foreign minister accompanied Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on his official visit to Türkiye at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. During their meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to raising bilateral trade to $5 billion and agreed to expand cooperation in trade, investment, and the development of special economic zones (SEZs).
