PM Sharif invites Turkish investors to expand footprint across Pakistan's priority sectors

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday invited Turkish companies to expand investments in Pakistan's energy, mining and minerals, information technology, infrastructure and other priority sectors as he held meetings with leading business executives to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries.

The prime minister met Chairman of Çalık Holding Ahmet Çalık, Chairman of Albayrak Group Ahmet Albayrak and President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB) Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, according to the Prime Minister's Office.

The meetings followed the Pakistan-Türkiye Business Conference in Istanbul, where government leaders from both countries reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral trade to $5 billion and strengthening investment under the framework of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council. Pakistan and Türkiye maintain longstanding brotherly ties and have increasingly focused on translating their strategic partnership into stronger economic and commercial cooperation.

PM Sharif said Pakistan's improving macroeconomic indicators, investor-friendly policies and ongoing structural reforms had created a conducive environment for foreign investment.

He invited Turkish companies to expand their footprint in Pakistan's priority sectors, including energy, mining and minerals, infrastructure, maritime and logistics, information technology, telecommunications, manufacturing, agriculture and privatization.

The prime minister said the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) continued to provide one-window facilitation and institutional support for strategic investors through close coordination between the federal and provincial governments.

During his meeting with Çalık Holding, PM Sharif highlighted investment opportunities in energy, infrastructure, information technology and privatization, welcoming the company's interest in expanding its operations in Pakistan.

He noted that Çalık Holding's existing presence through Çalık Enerji and GAP İnşaat provided a strong foundation for broader cooperation.

Meeting Albayrak Group Chairman Ahmet Albayrak, the prime minister appreciated the company's longstanding engagement in Pakistan and encouraged it to expand investments in maritime infrastructure, port modernization and logistics.

He said greater Turkish participation in these sectors would contribute to Pakistan's connectivity and infrastructure development.

In a separate meeting with TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, the prime minister proposed establishing a structured institutional mechanism for regular interaction between the private sectors of Pakistan and Türkiye.

He also invited TOBB to lead a high-level business delegation to Pakistan to explore emerging investment opportunities.

According to the Prime Minister's Office, Turkish business leaders appreciated Pakistan's economic reforms and improving investment climate, expressing confidence in the country's economic outlook and reaffirming their interest in expanding long-term investments.

Turkcell meeting

Separately, the prime minister met Turkcell Chief Executive Officer Dr Ali Taha Koç and discussed expanding Pakistan-Türkiye cooperation in digital infrastructure and emerging technologies.

PM Sharif shared Pakistan's vision of establishing a digital corridor with Türkiye to strengthen regional digital connectivity, facilitate secure cross-border data flows and promote greater integration of digital infrastructure.

He invited Turkcell to explore long-term collaboration in 5G deployment, network optimization, spectrum management, digital infrastructure and technology transfer.

The prime minister also encouraged partnerships in local manufacturing of telecommunications equipment, software development, digital skills and capacity building, saying such cooperation would strengthen Pakistan's technology ecosystem while creating employment and promoting innovation.

Turkcell welcomed Pakistan's digital transformation agenda and expressed interest in exploring collaboration in telecommunications, digital infrastructure and emerging technologies.

Dar urges stronger economic diplomacy

Addressing the Pakistan-Türkiye Business Conference, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the two countries should transform their longstanding political relationship into a dynamic economic partnership.

"Diplomacy is no longer confined to political dialogue alone. Economic diplomacy is the name of the game," Dar said.

He said Pakistan and Türkiye were strategically positioned at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Central Asia, allowing them to transform their geography into a shared economic advantage.

Dar said the government, under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's leadership, had launched an ambitious reform agenda aimed at improving macroeconomic stability, enhancing investor confidence and creating a more business-friendly environment.

He invited Turkish investment in key sectors, including energy, mining and minerals, power infrastructure, information technology, manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, tourism and defense industries.

Turkish vice president backs economic cooperation

Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said Pakistan and Türkiye shared a relationship built not only on mutual interests but also on solidarity during difficult times.

He praised Pakistan's contribution to regional peace and stability, saying Islamabad had played a constructive diplomatic role in reducing tensions in the Middle East.

"Pakistan not only is a leading country in the regional context, but it also has a constructive role in global issues for peace and stability," Yılmaz said.

He described the Pakistan-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council as a key institutional mechanism for advancing bilateral cooperation.

Referring to the two countries' shared trade goal, Yılmaz said:

"The two countries have the target of increasing our bilateral trade volume to $5 billion. We are lagging behind in this. It is a humble target. Let's start with $5 billion and then we can increase it."

He added that Turkish direct investment in Pakistan had exceeded $2 billion, contributing to employment, technology transfer, infrastructure development and socioeconomic progress.

IT minister highlights digital partnership

Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the prime minister's visit reflected the shared commitment of Pakistan and Türkiye to deepen cooperation in information technology, digital transformation, trade and investment.

She said Pakistan was positioning itself as a regional technology hub by promoting investment in IT, Special Economic Zones, digital infrastructure and innovation-driven industries, adding that stronger collaboration with Türkiye would help unlock new opportunities for sustainable economic growth.