ISLAMABAD, Apr 22 Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday
departed here for a two-day visit to Turkiye, at the invitation of
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister
Mohammed Ishaq Dar, Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah
Tarar and Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi, according to a PM Office
press release.
During the visit, the prime minister will hold extensive discussions
with President Erdogan on bilateral relations as well as exchange views
on recent developments in the region and beyond.
As long-standing allies and strategic partners, Pakistan and Turkiye
maintain a tradition of regular high-level exchanges, reflecting the
exceptional bonds of brotherhood between the two nations.
The two countries also have institutionalized leadership-level mechanism
in the form of High Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) for
cooperation and coordination on various issues of mutual interest.
The 7th session of HLSCC was held in Islamabad on February 12–13, 2025
chaired by President Erdogan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The upcoming meeting represents a continuation of this robust dialogue
and underscores the shared commitment to further elevate the
multifaceted partnership between Pakistan and Turkiye.
Earlier this month, Pakistan and Turkiye have signed a joint bidding
agreement to jointly participate in Pakistan’s upcoming offshore bid
round, aimed at exploring energy reserves in the country’s offshore
basins.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Pakistan Minerals
Investment Forum 2025 by Ahmed Turkoglu, CEO of Turkish Petroleum
Corporation (TPAO), along with Faheem Haider (Managing Director, Mari
Energies), Ahmad Hayat Lak (Managing Director, OGDCL), and Imran Abbasi
(Managing Director, PPL).
The partnership focuses on exploring 40 offshore blocks in the Makran
and Indus basins, offering a significant opportunity for foreign direct
investment in Pakistan’s upstream energy sector.
In February 2025, the government of Pakistan launched an offshore block
bid round, offering 40 exploration blocks in the Makran and Indus
basins. This initiative is seen as a major opportunity to attract
foreign direct investment (FDI) in Pakistan’s upstream energy sector