Top Turkish officials to visit Pakistan on Wednesday

ANKARA: Turkiye’s foreign and defence ministers will visit Pakistan on Wednesday for talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss bilateral ties, regional issues, and defence industry cooperation, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Tuesday.

Turkiye has strong ties with Pakistan and expressed with it during its military conflict with India in May, angering India.

During the visit, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will express Turkiye’s desire to deepen ties in every field and offer Ankara’s support in taking steps toward regional peace, the source said.

Fidan will stress the countries “need to strengthen their cooperation in the defence industry,” the source said.

Ankara also has cordial ties with India, but after its support for Pakistan, small Indian grocery shops and major online fashion retailers boycotted Turkish products, while New Delhi also cancelled Turkiye-based aviation service provider Celebi clearance over “national security” reasons.