Erdogan and Sharif declare strong alliance after high stakes Istanbul talks

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed their strategic alliance during high-stakes talks in Istanbul on Saturday. The leaders pledged to boost economic ties, collaborate in defense, and praised Pakistan’s mediation in the U.S.-Iran peace breakthrough.

Advanced plans were discussed to establish a special economic zone in Karachi to host Turkish businesses. Discussions focused heavily on expanding cooperation into energy, petroleum exploration, critical minerals, information technology, and transportation.