Pakistan, Türkiye sign 24 agreements during Erdoğan visit, eye $5 billion trade

Pakistan, Türkiye sign 24 agreements during Erdoğan visit, eye $5 billion trade
President of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left) and Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, exchange document of joint declaration of 7th meeting of Turkiye-Pakistan High Level Strategic Cooperation Council on February 13, 2025 in Islamabad, Pakistan. (PMO)
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Updated 13 February 2025
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Pakistan, Türkiye sign 24 agreements during Erdoğan visit, eye $5 billion trade

Pakistan, Türkiye sign 24 agreements during Erdoğan visit, eye $5 billion trade
  • Turkish president arrived in Pakistan early on Thursday morning to co-chair 7th session of Pakistan-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council 
  • Pakistan, facing militancy spike, has deployed additional police officers and paramilitary forces to ensure security of Turkish leader and his delegation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Türkiye on Thursday signed 24 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) during a visit to Islamabad by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss how to boost trade and economic ties between the two nations.

The Turkish president arrived in Pakistan early on Thursday morning to co-chair the 7th session of the Pakistan-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), a forum established in 2009 to enhance bilateral collaboration. The council oversees joint standing committees covering key sectors such as trade, investment, banking, finance, culture, tourism, energy, defense and agriculture. Since its inception, six sessions of the HLSCC have taken place, with the last one held in Islamabad in 2020.

“In the seventh session of our [strategic] council [meeting], which we have just concluded, we have agreed to further strengthen our relations,” the Turkish president said after witnessing the signing of multiple agreements with Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif. 




President of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left) and Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, sign joint declaration of 7th meeting of Turkiye-Pakistan High Level Strategic Cooperation Council on February 13, 2025 in Islamabad, Pakistan. (PMO)

“Within the framework of this visit, we have signed a total of 24 agreements and MoUs in the fields of trade, water resources, agriculture, energy, culture, family and social services along with science, banking, education, defense and health.”

“We have reached an agreement with Prime Minister Sharif to reach a goal of $5 billion trade volume between Türkiye and Pakistan,” Erdoğan added. “To this end, we are expanding our current goods trade agreement in the first stage.”

Among the MoUs are four on defense, two MoUs and a protocol in the power, energy and mining sectors, three MoUs in promoting cooperation in the trade and industrial field, two agreements in water and seed production, two MoUs in scientific education and training, two MoUs in banking, one MoU on promoting bilateral cooperation in religious services and education, one MoU in Halal food, one MoU in media and public relations, one MoU in the legal sector, one MoU in health and pharmaceuticals, one MoU to promote cooperation in the aerospace industry and two agreements in the fields of cultural cooperation and co-production.

The two countries also exchanged two MoUs signed by the Pakistan-Turkiye Business Forum to enhance bilateral cooperation.




President of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif witness exchange of MoUs and Agreements signed between Turkiye and Pakistan with regard to cooperation in different fields on February 13, 2025 in Islamabad, Pakistan. (PMO)

Erdogan said he had also held extensive discussions with the Pakistani prime minister on bilateral, regional and global issues.

The Turkish leader addressed the Pakistan-Türkiye Business and Investment Forum, speaking to leading investors, companies and business leaders from both nations. He urged them to strengthen cooperation in key economic sectors. 

Pakistan, which has witnessed a surge in militant violence in recent months, has deployed additional police officers and paramilitary forces to ensure the security of the Turkish leader and his delegation.

The visit began hours after the US Embassy issued a travel advisory, citing a threat by Pakistani Taliban against the iconic Faisal mosque in Islamabad and asked its citizens to avoid visits to the mosque and nearby areas until further notice.


Blast in Pakistan’s northwest kills founder of banned militant outfit

Blast in Pakistan’s northwest kills founder of banned militant outfit
Updated 27 sec ago
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Blast in Pakistan’s northwest kills founder of banned militant outfit

Blast in Pakistan’s northwest kills founder of banned militant outfit
  • Mufti Munir Shakir of Lashkar-e-Islam was targeted in Peshawar while he was entering a mosque
  • He was rushed to Lady Reading Hospital in critical condition where he succumbed to his injuries

PESHAWAR: A blast on the outskirts of the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar on Saturday killed local cleric Mufti Munir Shakir, founder of the banned militant outfit Lashkar-e-Islam, a hospital official confirmed after Shakir was rushed there in an injured state following the explosion.
Established in 2004, Lashkar-e-Islam initially focused on enforcing a strict interpretation of Islam before establishing a parallel governance system in parts of the Khyber district between 2008 and 2014.
Its members frequently clashed with Pakistani security forces, contributing to the broader insurgency in the tribal region, which was later merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Mufti Munir Shakir ... was brought into the [Lady Reading] hospital in a critical condition with three other wounded people in the blast,” Muhammad Asim, the spokesperson of the medical facility, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, Mufti Munir Shakir embraced martyrdom at the hospital. Right now, we are in the process of handing over his dead body to his relatives.”
Speaking to Arab News, Noor Muhammad, the Station House Officer of the area where the attack occurred, said the blast took place outside a mosque and specifically targeted Shakir.
“The moment Mufti Munir Shakir was entering the mosque at around 5 PM the blast took place, leaving four persons wounded,” he said. “It was a planted bomb.”
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has experienced a surge in militant violence, with frequent attacks targeting security forces and civilians.
The region has mostly been targeted by the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), whose leadership is reportedly based in neighboring Afghanistan.
Pakistan has frequently accused the interim Afghan Taliban administration of sheltering these militants and facilitating their cross-border attacks in its border region, an allegation denied by Kabul.
Last month, a prominent religious cleric, Maulana Hamid-ul-Haq, lost his life in a massive suicide bombing at the Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary in Akora Khattak that killed at least six other individuals.
The seminary has earned a reputation for producing several Afghan Taliban leaders, prompting the administration in Kabul to condemn the attack and blame it on the rival Daesh group in the region.
Prior to the explosion that killed Mufti Shakir on Saturday, police officials confirmed that militants launched four coordinated overnight attacks in the province, targeting police stations in two districts, leaving one attacker dead and a police officer injured.
The first three attacks took place in Bannu, a restive district located on the periphery of North Waziristan bordering Afghanistan.
The fourth attack occurred in the adjacent Lakki Marwat district when a group of well-armed militants launched an assault on the Abbasia police station, sparking a fierce gunbattle.
The confrontation resulted in the death of one militant, while others managed to flee the scene.
“During the chase, a police vehicle hit a roadside improvised explosive device, injuring one police official who was transported to a nearby medical facility for treatment,” Shahid Marwat, the spokesperson of the district’s police, told Arab News.
In a statement released earlier in the day, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Police Chief Zulfiqar Hameed also paid tribute to the courage of the police personnel for thwarting successive militant attacks in the two districts.


Pakistan Navy launches second Hangor-class submarine in China to boost maritime defense

Pakistan Navy launches second Hangor-class submarine in China to boost maritime defense
Updated 15 March 2025
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Pakistan Navy launches second Hangor-class submarine in China to boost maritime defense

Pakistan Navy launches second Hangor-class submarine in China to boost maritime defense
  • Equipped with advanced weapons and sensors, the submarine will strengthen Pakistan’s deterrence capabilities
  • The deal with the Chinese company will get Pakistan six more submarines with technology transfer agreement

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Navy launched its second Hangor-class submarine, PNS/M Shushuk, at a ceremony in Wuhan, China, as part of a strategic initiative to bolster its maritime defense capabilities, according to an official statement on Saturday.
The country’s defense ministry signed an agreement with China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Company during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Pakistan in 2015 to acquire eight of these submarines. Under the deal, four submarines are being built in China, while the remaining four will be constructed at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works under a transfer of technology program.
Equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, these submarines are expected to enhance Pakistan’s naval capabilities by enabling precision strikes at standoff ranges.
Pakistan’s Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami, attended the ceremony as the chief guest.
“While addressing the ceremony, the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff highlighted the importance of maritime security in the prevailing geo-strategic environment of the region, as well as Pakistan Navy’s commitment to safeguarding national interests and ensuring a safe and conducive maritime environment for all,” the official statement circulated by the Directorate General of Public Relations of Pakistan Navy said.
“He emphasized that Hangor-class submarines, equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, will play a pivotal role in maintaining the balance of power and maritime order in the region,” it added.
Pakistan’s deal with the Chinese company is expected to enhance its naval defense in the Indian Ocean region by equipping its fleet with stealth-capable submarines designed for low acoustic signatures, making them harder to detect.
These advanced vessels also aim to strengthen the country’s deterrence capabilities while reinforcing Pakistan-China military ties through strategic defense collaboration.
Beyond the Hangor-class project, Pakistan is enhancing its naval capabilities through collaborations with other nations.
In 2018, the country signed a contract with Turkiye for the construction of four MILGEM-class corvettes.
Additionally, a Turkish company was also engaged to upgrade Pakistan’s Agosta 90B-class submarines.


Security forces kill nine militants, lose two soldiers in Pakistan’s northwest

Security forces kill nine militants, lose two soldiers in Pakistan’s northwest
Updated 15 March 2025
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Security forces kill nine militants, lose two soldiers in Pakistan’s northwest

Security forces kill nine militants, lose two soldiers in Pakistan’s northwest
  • Pakistani forces carried out two separate intelligence-based operation in Mohmand and Dera Ismail Khan
  • An official statement says the armed forces recovered weapons, ammunition from the deceased militants

KARACHI: Pakistani security forces killed nine militants in two intelligence-based operations in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said in a statement on Saturday, adding two soldiers also lost their lives in one of the encounters.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has seen a surge in violence by banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in recent months, with deadly suicide bombings, attacks on security checkpoints and targeted of civilians and security personnel.
Pakistani security forces have conducted several intelligence-based operations in the region, with the latest ones carried out in Mohmand District and Dera Ismail Khan between March 14 and 15.
Pakistan refers to TTP militants as “khwarij,” a historical term describing an extremist sect in early Islam known for rebelling against authority and declaring other Muslims apostates.
“On reported presence of Khwarij, an intelligence based operation was conducted by the Security Forces in Mohmand District,” the ISPR said. “During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarijs’ location, resultantly, seven khwarij were sent to hell.”
“However, during intense fire exchange, two brave sons of soil, Havildar Muhammad Zahid (age: 37 years, resident of District Malakand) and Sepoy Aftab Ali Shah (age: 26 years, resident of District Chitral) having fought gallantly, rendered the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat [martyrdom],” it added.
The second operation was carried out in Maddi, Dera Ismail Khan District, where security forces engaged militants in a gunfight.
“A fire exchange took place between own troops and khwarij,” the statement continued. “Resultantly, two khwarij were effectively neutralized.”
The ISPR said security forces also recovered weapons and ammunition from the militants, who, according to the military, were actively involved in multiple violent activities.
The statement informed that “sanitization operations” were ongoing in both districts to eliminate any remaining militants.


Pakistan set to face New Zealand in T20I series opener tomorrow in Christchurch

Pakistan set to face New Zealand in T20I series opener tomorrow in Christchurch
Updated 15 March 2025
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Pakistan set to face New Zealand in T20I series opener tomorrow in Christchurch

Pakistan set to face New Zealand in T20I series opener tomorrow in Christchurch
  • Skipper Salman Ali Agha says the team will try to produce better results in New Zealand
  • A three-match ODI series, set to follow the T20I action, will run from March 29 to April 5

KARACHI: Pakistan are all set to take on New Zealand in a five-match T20I series starting Sunday, the country's cricket board said in a statement, with the first game to be played at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
The Pakistan squad arrived in New Zealand on Thursday and held their first training session on Friday afternoon. Before their arrival, the T20I squad underwent a pre-series camp from March 7 to 10 in Lahore.
Pakistan’s squad includes three uncapped players — Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Ali — who earned call-ups to the national side following their impressive performances in recent domestic events.
Skipper Salman Ali Agha, who led the team to a 2-1 T20I series win in Zimbabwe in his first series as captain, expressed satisfaction with the players' performance ahead of the series.
“The team's preparations are going well, and we will try to produce better results in New Zealand," the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) quoted him as saying in a statement. "We have some young players in the side, and it is an opportunity for them to showcase their talent at the international level after performing well in domestic cricket.”
Pakistan have an upper hand over New Zealand in the 44 T20I contests between the two sides, with 23 wins, while the Black Caps have secured victory in 19 fixtures.
The last T20I series featuring the two sides, played in Pakistan in 2024, ended in a 2-2 draw, with one match abandoned due to rain.
More recently, though, Pakistan's cricket squad has come under significant criticism for their performance following their early exit from the 2025 Champions Trophy after losses to New Zealand and India.
During their tour to New Zealand, Pakistan will play their second match at University Oval in Dunedin on March 18, while the third match of the series will be played at Eden Park in Auckland on March 21.
The fourth and fifth T20Is will be played at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui and Sky Stadium in Wellington on March 23 and 26, respectively.
A three-match ODI series will follow the T20I action and will be played from March 29 to April 5.


Pakistan deadline for illegal foreigners to leave country to expire in less than three weeks

Pakistan deadline for illegal foreigners to leave country to expire in less than three weeks
Updated 15 March 2025
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Pakistan deadline for illegal foreigners to leave country to expire in less than three weeks

Pakistan deadline for illegal foreigners to leave country to expire in less than three weeks
  • Islamabad says it has already granted sufficient time to these foreigners for their ‘dignified return’
  • Pakistan initially launched the deportation drive in Nov. 2023 following a string of suicide bombings

ISLAMABAD: A deadline set by Islamabad for undocumented foreigners and Afghan Citizen Card-holders will expire in less than three weeks, Pakistani state media reported on Saturday.
The Pakistan government on March 7 announced that all undocumented foreigners and Afghan nationals, including ACC-holders, residing illegally in Pakistan must depart voluntarily by March 31 or face deportation starting April 1.
The ACC scheme, initiated in 2017, provided temporary legal status to undocumented Afghans in Pakistan. It differs from the Proof of Registration (PoR) system, which grants refugee status to Afghan nationals recognized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Pakistan government.
The recent directive will primarily impact the ACC-holders along with other undocumented Afghan nationals, many of whom fled to Pakistan following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.
“Seventeen days are left for illegal foreigners and Afghan Citizen Card holders to leave Pakistan,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“The government has assured that no mistreatment will occur during the process and it has made arrangements for food and health facilities for those returning.” 
Unlike PoR-holders, who are protected under international refugee frameworks, ACC-holders were never formally recognized as refugees and were only granted temporary permission to stay in Pakistan.
The Pakistani government said on March 7 it was already implementing the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program (IFRP) since Nov. 1, 2023.
“In continuation to Government’s decision to repatriate all illegal foreigners, national leadership has now decided to also repatriate ACC holders,” it said, adding that it had granted sufficient time to these people to ensure their “dignified return.”
The Pakistani government launched the deportation drive against “illegal immigrants,” mostly Afghan nationals, in Nov. 2023 after a string of suicide bombings in the country. Officials in Islamabad cited security concerns for the decision, alleging that a number of Afghan nationals had been involved in militant activities, including attacks on Pakistani civilians and security forces, a claim denied by the Taliban authorities in Kabul.
Last year, the government also announced that Afghan citizens residing in Islamabad would require No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) after alleging that many of them had participated in an anti-government protest led by former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) opposition party, which later turned violent.
The government’s directive will affect numerous Afghans in Pakistan awaiting resettlement to third countries, including the United States. Many of them had assisted international forces and now fear retribution from the Taliban. However, recent policy changes under President Donald Trump’s administration have all but suspended US refugee admissions, leaving thousands in limbo.