 "Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) shaking hands with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. AFP")
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is in Pakistan to co-chair the 7th Session of the Pakistan-Turkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) and strengthen bilateral ties at a time when Islamabad is facing an economic crisis.
On Thursday, Sharif and Erdogan signed a flurry of bilateral agreements as Pakistan seeks stronger ties with Turkey. After the two sides signed the deals, the Pakistan PM said, “On behalf of the people of Pakistan, my government and myself, would like to extend a heartfelt welcome to Pakistan, to your second home. It is wonderful to have you after five years.”
Erdogan’s visit, at the invitation of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is one of the first high-level meetings that the country has hosted in a while, the last being in October 2024 when Islamabad organised the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
Pakistan did not fall short of welcoming the Turkish president to the country after five years. From fighter jet salutes to cultural dance performances, here’s how Erdogan was received in Pakistan:
Upon his arrival on Thursday, Erdogan was welcomed by the country’s president Asif Ali Zardari in Rawalpindi. A guard of honour was presented to the Turkish leader at Sharif’s house in Islamabad
Erdogan was also greeted at the PM House by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir. He was presented with a salute comprising various fighter jets including F-16
Sharif introduced his Cabinet ministers including Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and others to Erdogan
As Erdoğan’s motorcade made its way down Constitution Avenue in Islamabad, the street was lined with flags from both nations and banners celebrating their strong friendship. Along the route, several cultural dance performances were arranged to mark the occasion
The Pakistani government also composed a song in praise of Erdogan that was broadcast on various TV channels across the country