Turkey and Pakistan promise to increase bilateral trade to $5 billion.

According to the Pakistani economic affairs ministry, Pakistan and Turkiye wrapped up their two-day Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) negotiations in Islamabad on Tuesday. The two countries hope to increase its bilateral volume to $5 billion.

The High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), Joint Standing Committees (JSCs), and diplomatic missions were among the many interministerial meetings and coordination that took place prior to the session. According to the Pakistani ministry, a thorough draft protocol was examined beforehand, and the final technical session effectively resolved important areas of collaboration.

Established in 1975, the JMC is a fundamental institutional instrument for bilateral economic cooperation. The session, which was co-chaired by Turkish National Defence Minister Yaşar Güler and Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, covered 24 important areas, including energy, trade and investment, banking and finance, industrial cooperation, education, tourism, and climate change.

According to a statement from Pakistan’s economic affairs ministry, “a major highlight was the mutual commitment to enhance bilateral trade to USD 5 billion, with the first in-person round of negotiations for the Trade in Goods Agreement scheduled for October 2025.” “Both parties agreed to streamline customs cooperation, promote digital trade, and strengthen business-to-business ties.”

According to Turkish state media, the volume of bilateral trade between Turkiye and Pakistan increased by almost 30% year over year in 2024 to $1.4 billion.

Since Ankara publicly backed Islamabad during its four-day conflict with India in May, Pakistan and Turkey have become closer. Since then, in the face of regional concerns, the military forces of the two Muslim-majority nations have decided to strengthen their defence and commercial links.

Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to regional connectivity during the ministerial discussions in Islamabad by deciding to move forward with the proposed TURPAK Transport Corridor and hasten the operationalisation of the Islamabad–Tehran–Istanbul (ITI) Railway Corridor. According to the statement, collaboration will also grow in the maritime industry, encompassing port development and ship recycling.

Both nations decided to form Sub-Working Groups in the energy sector to investigate cooperation in the areas of mining, LNG, hydrocarbons, hydrogen, renewable energy, and electric vehicle infrastructure. Additional collaboration was promised in the areas of hydropower development, transmission modernisation, and electricity distribution. In the agricultural sector, the two countries decided to work together on livestock health, irrigation, fisheries, and the creation of digital crop surveillance systems. Pakistan and Turkey will also host an IT Business Forum.