ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan and Turkiye should work together to deal with common challenges and emerging threats to both brotherly countries.
In an exclusive interview with the Turkish news network Anadolu Agency during his two-day (25-26 November) visit to Turkiye, the prime minister stressed the need to further consolidate bilateral relations between Pakistan and Turkiye. He said that both countries should work together through collective research and joint development projects.
In the interview published on Sunday, he said that the strong bilateral relations between Pakistan and Turkiye were based on religious, linguistic, and cultural linkages. Over the past 75 years, the two countries have always stood by each other in all situations. Their relations endured political changes on each side.
Both Countries Support Each Other at International Forums
He said that both countries supported each other on international forums. Pakistan always extended its support to the brotherly country on the Northern Cyprus issue while Turkiye supported it on the Kashmir problem.
He said that due to common challenges, both countries have consolidated their cooperation in different sectors, especially in defense. He also hailed the achievements of the Turkish defense industry and said that President Recep Erdogan defied all odds to make it a brilliant success.
Read Also: Shehbaz Sharif Briefed on Turkey’s Tourism Industry
The prime minister said that Pakistan is the largest defense customer of Turkiye and their collaboration on the MILGEM-class warships’ construction has increased the capacity of the Pak Navy. It also played an important role in cementing bilateral relations.
PM Shehbaz Highlights Economic, Flood Situations in Pakistan
He also highlighted the financial situation of Pakistan and said that when he took power eight months ago, the country was facing an economic default threat but now due to the effective policies of his government, it has successfully averted that threat.
Underling, the recent floods in Pakistan, the prime minister said that Pakistan was contributing less than one percent to the global carbon footprint but it is one of the top countries affected by climate change. It is faced with glacier melting, changes in the monsoon cycle, floods, and other, climate change-related calamities.
He stressed that developed countries work effectively with the scourges of climate change and global warming. He said that the world community should explore a debt swap system for developing countries that are affected by climate change. –APP/AA
