ISLAMABAD/ANKARA – Pakistan and Turkey have agreed to continue the momentum of high-level exchanges to transform bilateral relations into strategic economic partnership.
The consensus to this effect was reached during a telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The two leaders discussed issues of mutual interest including further strengthening of bilateral relations in all areas. They also exchanged felicitations on the advent of the holy month of Ramazan, a PM Office press release said.
In the regional context, PM Imran stressed the importance of a negotiated political settlement of the conflict in Afghanistan ahead of recently announced planned US withdrawal.
He highlighted that Pakistan had fully supported and facilitated the US-Taliban Peace Agreement and the subsequent initiation of Intra-Afghan Negotiations.
The Prime Minister stressed that the Intra-Afghan Negotiations provided a historic opportunity which must be seized by the Afghan leadership to achieve an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement.
Pakistan Army chief welcomes US decision to pull troops from Afghanistan
Appreciating Turkey’s role, Imran Khan said that Pakistan will continue to extend all possible support to the efforts for a political solution for durable peace and stability in Afghanistan.
Turkey will host a major summit on Afghanistan’s peace process in Istanbul from April 24 to May 4.
Pakistani, German FMs discuss economic linkages, Afghan situation in Berlin
