Istanbul (GNP) — Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met individually with heads of several major Turkish business groups and trade organizations in Istanbul, using the discussions to reaffirm Pakistan’s interest in deepening economic ties and drawing greater Turkish investment into key areas of its economy.
Among those he met were Çalık Holding Chairman Ahmet Çalık, Albayrak Group Board Chairman Ahmet Albayrak, and Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB).
Across these meetings, the prime minister spoke of the strong historical bond between Pakistan and Türkiye and stressed the need to convert that relationship into a more substantial economic partnership. He pointed to Pakistan’s strengthening economic indicators, its investment-friendly regulatory approach, and the government’s efforts to maintain a transparent and predictable business climate.
Shehbaz encouraged Turkish firms to increase their presence in priority areas of Pakistan’s economy, including energy, mining, infrastructure, maritime and logistics, IT, telecommunications, manufacturing, agriculture, and privatization. He mentioned that the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) continues to offer centralized support and coordination with federal and provincial bodies to help strategic investors navigate the process.
In his discussion with Çalık Holding’s chairman, the prime minister pointed to substantial opportunities available in energy, infrastructure, IT, and privatization. He welcomed the company’s interest in growing its Pakistan operations, noting that its existing presence through Çalık Enerji and GAP İnşaat offers a solid base for further collaboration.
Speaking with Albayrak Group, Shehbaz acknowledged the company’s long history of involvement in Pakistan and urged it to expand further into maritime infrastructure, port upgrades, and logistics, citing its meaningful role in advancing the country’s connectivity and infrastructure.
In his meeting with TOBB’s president, the prime minister commended the organization’s ongoing work in fostering closer business ties between the two countries. He suggested creating a formal mechanism for regular dialogue between the private sectors of Pakistan and Türkiye, and invited TOBB to lead a senior business delegation to Pakistan to explore investment prospects firsthand.
For their part, the Turkish business leaders praised Pakistan’s economic reform efforts and its improving investment environment. They voiced confidence in the country’s economic trajectory and reiterated their interest in pursuing further investment and long-term partnerships across several strategic industries, reflecting the strengthening economic relationship between the two nations.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
