Pakistan, Türkiye agree to enhance defence cooperation

Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Türkiye's Minister of National Defence Yasar Güler convened a meeting in Istanbul on Monday, as reported by Radio Pakistan. The purpose of the meeting was to bolster joint defense cooperation in the region. This summit took place prior to the inaugural gathering of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee, which was established under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye.

The committee's chairman, Turkish Armed Forces Chief of General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroğlu, also attended the meeting.

In a separate development, Güler and Turkish counterpart General Selcuk Bayraktaroğlu met with Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. The Pakistani delegation at the inaugural meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee will include Foreign Minister, Defense Minister DPM Dar, and Chief of Defence Forces Munir.

The meeting will also see participation from the respective foreign ministers, defense ministers, and chiefs of general staff of Türkiye and Saudi Arabia. Pakistan's involvement in the meeting underscores the country's longstanding friendship with Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, as well as its commitment to ensuring enduring regional peace and stability.