ISLAMABAD: While reaffirming their commitment to deepening strategic defence cooperation, Pakistan and Turkiye have agreed to broaden bilateralties across a range of sectors.

An understanding to this effect was reached during the first meeting of a joint commission, co-chaired by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, under High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council framework held here on Wednesday.

Speaking at a joint stakeout, Mr Fidan and Mr Dar expressed a shared understanding on deepening bilat-eral defence cooperation.

They said their collaboration, vital for improving defence capabilities and promoting peace and stability across the region, was seen by both sides as a strategic cornerstone for mutual benefit.

`We wish to further strengthen our cooperation for promotion of peace and stability in our entire region,` Mr Dar remarked. Seconding him, Mr Fidan said, `In the coming days, our cooperation for the defenceindustryis goingtobe further strengthened, which is really important for the security of our countries. It is a very strategic step. And in many areas, there are projects that are ongoing in this particular area.

Mr Dar praised Turkiye`s remarkable progress inincreasing its defence indigenisation from 20pc to 80pc, seeing it as a model for Pakistan to enhance its owncapabilities through their expertise.

The ministers outlined plans to advance the defencecooperation through structured engagements, including the upcoming meeting of the Committee on Security, Defence, and Intelligence on July 24 in 1slamabad, followed by the Committee on Defence Industries in September.

The two sides also announeed that Istanbul-TehranIslamabad train was being revived. `Our delegations are meeting in the coming weeks to finalise the roadmap for its revival,` Mr Dar said.

He also said that the establishment of a Special Economic Zone dedicated for Turkiye`s entrepreneurs at Karachi was being pursued.

He said a piece of land had already been allocated for the construction of Marif School in Muzaffarabad and Marif Foundation delegation had vis-ited the site for evaluation. He said Turkish companies were being considered for undertaking Jinnah Medical Complex and Danish University mega project in Pakistan.

`Turkish companies will also be participating in offshore drilling projects in Pakistan and there is a huge interest that they have exhibited,` he remarked. Moreover, he said, Turkish companies would also participate in the privatisation of distribution companies in the power sector (Discos).

`We are actively engaged in different activities including capacity building in counterterrorism.... We are actively following up on benefiting from Turkish experience and expertise in shipbreaking, water storage, and efficient use of municipal and agricultural water,` Mr Dar said. He said it was also agreed to revive a joint ministerial commission after 11 years.

`All this work will lay a solid foundation for the eighth HighLevel Strategic Cooperation Council, which will be held next year in Turkiye and co-chaired by the Turkish president and the prime minister of Pakistan,` he said.

He also expressed satisfaction over the progress of the 12 joint standing committees working under the strategic council framework, with most of them already held their meetings while committee on transport and communication would meet next week.

He said the two countries consult each other very frequently on a range of bilateral and regional issues. `In today`s fast-changing international environment, such frequent consultations are more required now than ever before, he remarked.

Institutional partnership Mr Fidan called for transforming the fraternal relations between the two countries into an institutional partnership.

`We are aiming to increase our commercial relations to $5 billion.

...we are intensifying our joint activities in mining and also inprecious stones as well as natural gas and the oil sector`.

Referring to recent tension between Pakistan and India, he noted that when two nuclear-armed nations came face to face, it could have unimaginable consequences.

To eliminate the possibility of such tensions again, a meaningful and efficient dialogue between the parties was essential, he said.

`We are always ready to support this so that there will be peace and there will not be any clashes.

Meeting with ACM On the other hand, evolving regional security dynamics, progress of ongoing defence cooperation and prospects for future collaboration in emerging domains of warfare came under discussion at a meeting of top defence officials.

A delegation led by Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Güler called on Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff.

At the meeting, both sides agreed on the establishment of dedicated joint working groups to streamline and accelerate progress across various sectors of mutual interest. They concurred on finalising the modalities for enhanced training collaboration and reaffirmed their strong commitment to expanding the scale and scope of joint bilateral and multilateral air exercises.