Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Defence Production Raza Hayat Harraj has said that if a trilateral defense cooperation agreement among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye is proposed in the future, Pakistan would welcome it. Talking exclusively in Pakistan TV&rsquo;s programme The Newsroom, the minister said Pakistan enjoys very strong diplomatic and defense relations with both Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, describing them as close allies and reliable friends of the country.&nbsp; &ldquo;An agreement has already been concluded between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. It is a bilateral agreement. If tomorrow, Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia come up with a proposal, it will be a very welcoming statement as far as Pakistan is concerned,&rdquo; the minister said, adding that at present there is no trilateral agreement involving the three countries. The Saudi-Pakistan defense agreement was signed between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in Riyadh in September last year, which was described as a &ldquo;strategic mutual defense agreement.&rdquo;&nbsp; The agreement aims to development aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression. Harraj said Pakistan maintains close defence cooperation with Turkiye, particularly in defence industrial development, and has a similar association with Saudi Arabia. Azerbaijan is also a close partner of Pakistan in terms of defense cooperation, he added. The minister said while a trilateral framework could be a future prospect, any such arrangement would only be considered if and when a formal proposal is presented.&nbsp; &ldquo;We would be willing to deliberate once an opportunity arises,&rdquo; he said, adding that if such an agreement comes forward, it will be left for the relevant stakeholders to scrutinize it. Harraj emphasised that defense-related agreements are considered trade secrets and often involve classified information that cannot be disclosed publicly.&nbsp; Explaining the nature of defense cooperation, the minister said such collaborations can take various forms, including joint exercises, shared production of defense equipment, or joint manufacturing of components.&nbsp; He cited the JF-17 fighter jet programme as an example of successful defense collaboration between Pakistan and China. Reiterating Pakistan&rsquo;s position, Harraj said bilateral defense agreements with Turkiye and Saudi Arabia are independent of each other.

The Newsroom

Federal Minister for Defense Production Raza Hayat Harraj has said that if a trilateral defense cooperation agreement among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye is proposed in the future, Pakistan would welcome it.

Pakistan open to trilateral defense deal with Saudi Arabia, Turkiye in future: Harraj

WELLINGTON: New Zealand said Friday it has temporarily closed its embassy in Tehran and flown out its diplomats because of worsening security in Iran. Diplomatic staff left Iran safely on commercial flights overnight, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry said. The Tehran embassy&#39;s operations were moved to Ankara, Turkey, because of the &quot;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iranian-ambassador-says-recent-unrest-was-foreignbacked-terrorism-not-protest" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">deteriorating security situation</a>&quot; in Iran. &quot;We continue to&nbsp;advise&nbsp;against all travel to Iran. Any New Zealanders currently in the country should leave now,&quot; the spokesperson said. &lsquo;Extremely limited&rsquo;The foreign ministry said it had an &quot;extremely limited&quot; ability to give consular help to New Zealanders in Iran. Severe communication challenges were making it hard for people to get in touch with family and friends in Iran, the ministry spokesperson said, advising New Zealanders there to contact relatives when they can. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Thursday his country was &quot;appalled&quot; by Tehran&#39;s &ldquo;violent reaction&rdquo; to huge anti-government protests. &#39;Right to peaceful protest&#39;&quot;We condemn the brutal crackdown being carried out by Iran&#39;s security forces, including the killing of protesters,&quot; Peters said in a statement. &quot;Iranians have the right to peaceful protest, freedom of expression, and access to information -- and that right is currently being brutally repressed,&quot; he said. New Zealand had expressed its &quot;serious concerns&quot; directly to the Iranian embassy in Wellington, and would continue to do so, the minister said.

Middle East

Diplomatic staff leaves Iran safely on commercial flights overnight, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry said; the Tehran embassy's operations were moved to Ankara, Turkey, because of the 'deteriorating security situation' in Iran.

New Zealand shuts embassy in Iran

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan remained the world&rsquo;s largest supplier of heroin and other opiates, with the Balkan route experiencing the highest intensity of trafficking, according to the Turkish Drug Report 2025 released this week.&nbsp;The report stated, &ldquo;Afghanistan continues to be the largest supplier country globally for the trafficking and production of heroin and other opiates.&rdquo;&nbsp;It noted that trafficking routes through the Balkans and southern and northern corridors remained the most frequently used. Among these, the Balkan route, which passed through T&uuml;rkiye, had &ldquo;the highest intensity of use.&rdquo;&nbsp;Historically, the Balkan route had been the principal channel for moving Afghan opiates to Western and Central Europe. From Afghanistan, drugs passed through Iran and T&uuml;rkiye before splitting into three main branches.&nbsp;Political changes in Afghanistan, which in April 2021 supplied about 80% of the global illegal opioid market, had led to &ldquo;significant decreases in the supply of opioids in drug markets, especially heroin,&rdquo; the report said.&nbsp;In response, there had been an increase in synthetic opioid derivatives in Europe and pharmacies, including &ldquo;fentanyl analogs and nitazenes,&rdquo; which had increasingly been linked to serious health risks and fatalities.&nbsp;T&uuml;rkiye, located on the Balkan route, continued to play a key role in heroin seizures. While total seizures in 2024 were lower than in previous years, the report highlighted a &ldquo;31% increase compared to the previous year, reaching 4.3 tons.&rdquo; <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/37627031-cb6d-4aff-84c0-1232f90b641b.png" style="width: 558px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><div style="text-align: left; line-height: 2;">Source: Turkish Drug Report 2025</div>&nbsp;The report attributed this rise primarily to a &ldquo;19% increase in opium cultivation areas in Afghanistan&rdquo; in 2024.&nbsp;&ldquo;Despite the political developments in recent years, Afghanistan continued to be the country that supplied the most illegal opiates to illegal drug markets worldwide,&rdquo; the report emphasized. Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan expanded from 10,800 hectares in 2023 to 12,800 hectares in 2024.&nbsp;Following the Taliban&rsquo;s bans on opium, the report anticipated that &ldquo;continent-based drug trafficking groups may turn to the trafficking of different drug types&rdquo; to offset profit losses from declining heroin supplies.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan remained the world’s largest supplier of heroin and other opiates, with the Balkan route experiencing the highest intensity of trafficking, according to the Turkish Drug Report 2025 released this week.

Afghanistan remains top global heroin supplier: Turkish police report

DAMASCUS: Clashes between government troops and Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria&rsquo;s Aleppo killed at least nine people on Tuesday, mostly civilians, in one of the worst flare-ups between the sides in months. The implementation of a March deal to merge the Kurds&rsquo; semi-autonomous administration and military into Syria&rsquo;s new government has largely stalled.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 552px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2008632287907270862&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=1f47463563661dc86ac6b6e51315a5a78e9350ca&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2008632287907270862"></iframe></div></div>Tensions have occasionally erupted into clashes, particularly in Aleppo, which has two Kurdish-majority neighborhoods. Deadliest violenceBoth sides traded blame over who started Tuesday&rsquo;s fighting, which continued into the night and is among the deadliest violence between the government and Kurdish forces since the toppling of Bashar al-Assad more than a year ago.&nbsp; It also adds to concerns about progress on the integration deal. On Tuesday morning, the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said factions affiliated with the government &ldquo;targeted the Sheikh Maqsud neighbourhood&rdquo;. By evening, the SDF said the death toll in the Kurdish-majority Sheikh Maqsud and Ashrafiyeh districts had risen to four civilians, including two women and a child. It reported &ldquo;indiscriminate artillery and missile shelling&rdquo; on the areas, including &ldquo;the use of drones... direct sniper fire and heavy-weapon fire&rdquo;. Sheikh Maqsud and Ashrafiyeh have remained under the control of Kurdish units linked to the SDF, despite Kurdish fighters agreeing to withdraw from the areas in April. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Stalled integration&nbsp;</h2>In a statement carried by state news agency SANA, the defense ministry said the SDF targeted &ldquo;a number of neighborhoods in Aleppo city adjacent to the districts it controls&rdquo;. SANA reported five people killed by SDF fire -- four civilians, including a child, in addition to a member of the Defense Ministry personnel. The agriculture ministry said two of the dead were workers at a research center. &ldquo;The SDF is again proving that it does not recognize the March 10 agreement and is trying to undermine it,&rdquo; the defense ministry said. Suspension of flights&nbsp;Civil aviation authorities announced &quot;the suspension of flights to and from Aleppo airport for 24 hours and their diversion to Damascus airport&quot; due to the violence, SANA reported. Governor Azzam al-Gharib announced schools, universities, and government offices in Aleppo city would be closed on Wednesday and public events cancelled, citing &ldquo;the current situation and the targeting of several hospitals and institutions by indiscriminate SDF artillery shelling&rdquo;. The SDF&nbsp;controls swathes of Syria&rsquo;s oil-rich north and northeast, and, supported by a US-led international coalition, was key to the territorial defeat of the Islamic State group in Syria in 2019.The March agreement on its integration into the state was supposed to be implemented by the end of 2025. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">&lsquo;Lay down&rsquo; weapons&nbsp;</h2>In Ankara, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler said, &ldquo;the PKK (the Kurdistan Workers&#39; Party) and all affiliated groups must immediately cease all terrorist activity in regions where they are present, including in Syria, and lay down their weapons without condition&rdquo;. The SDF is dominated by the People&#39;s Protection Units (YPG), a Kurdish militant group seen by Ankara as an extension of the PKK, which earlier this year agreed to end its four-decade armed struggle against Turkey. &ldquo;We will not allow any terrorist organization -- particularly the PKK, the PYD, the YPG, and the SDF -- to establish a foothold in the region,&rdquo; Guler added. A close ally of the new authorities, Turkey shares a 900-kilometer (550-mile) border with Syria and has launched successive offensives to push Kurdish forces from its frontier. Also, on Tuesday, the SDF accused factions affiliated with Syria&#39;s army of attacking Deir Hafer, around 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Aleppo, and near the strategic Tishreen Dam to the city&#39;s northeast. The Kurdish-led force affirmed its right to &ldquo;respond legitimately to these attacks&rdquo;. On Sunday, SDF chief Mazloum Abdi held further talks with officials in Damascus on integrating the Kurdish-led forces, but state media reported no tangible results. The Kurds are pushing for decentralized rule, an idea which Syria&#39;s new authorities have rejected. Last month in Aleppo, clashes killed five people, while Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan urged the SDF not to be an obstacle to Syria&#39;s stability.

The implementation of a March deal to merge the Kurds’ semi-autonomous administration and military into Syria’s new government has largely stalled.

Nine dead in clashes between Syrian govt, Kurdish forces in Aleppo

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday held virtual consultations with his counterparts from T&uuml;rkiye, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), focusing on regional developments and underscoring the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in easing tensions, the Foreign Office said.&nbsp;The consultations took place while Dar is on an official visit to Beijing, where he is co-chairing the 7th Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers&rsquo; Strategic Dialogue with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to an earlier Foreign Office statement.&nbsp;During his separate conversations with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Dar discussed the evolving regional situation, the statement said.&nbsp;The foreign minister welcomed the Saudi position on Yemen and &ldquo;appreciated the efforts of all sides to resolve&rdquo; regional issues through peaceful means, the Foreign Office added.&nbsp;In a separate interaction with UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Dar exchanged views on the broader regional environment and expressed satisfaction over what the statement described as a &ldquo;positive trajectory&rdquo; and recent improvements in the situation.&nbsp;&ldquo;DPM/FM Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar appreciated that dialogue and diplomacy have resulted in tangible outcomes on the ground,&rdquo; the Foreign Office said, adding that Pakistan continues to support peaceful engagement and cooperative approaches to regional challenges.

Foreign Affairs

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar holds virtual talks with counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and UAE, discussing regional developments and praising dialogue and diplomacy for easing tensions

Pakistani FM consults Muslim-majority counterparts on regional stability, diplomacy

ISTANBUL: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday welcomed an agreement under which Spain will procure Turkish-made HURJET training aircraft, describing it as evidence of Turkey&#39;s &quot;pioneering role&quot; in defense and aviation industry.&nbsp;Under the deal, signed this week, the Spanish Air Force will acquire 30 HURJET aircraft from Turkey in a contract valued at around 2.6 billion euros, according to Turkish officials.&nbsp;Speaking at an event in Istanbul, Erdogan said Turkiye had become a globally recognized player in the defense and aviation sectors.&nbsp;&quot;Most recently, the agreement we concluded with Spain has confirmed our country&#39;s pioneering role in this field,&quot; Erdogan said.&nbsp;He added that the inclusion of HURJET in the inventory of a European Union and NATO member state would further expand Turkey&#39;s opportunities in the coming years.&nbsp;On Tuesday, Haluk Gorgun, head of Turkiye&#39;s defense industry agency, described the agreement as more than a simple aircraft sale.&nbsp;&quot;This is not merely a training aircraft deal,&quot; Gorgun said. &quot;It is a comprehensive package that includes ground systems, simulation systems, maintenance and sustainment services, as well as a cooperation model.&quot;&nbsp;He added that the agreement underscored the deepening of defense industry and high-technology cooperation between Turkiye and Spain, noting that the aircraft configuration would be updated over time to meet Spain&#39;s specific operational requirements.&nbsp;Turkiye has steadily expanded its defense exports in recent years, including drones sold to multiple countries.&nbsp;Erdogan said Turkiye&#39;s defense exports, which stood at $248 million in 2002, had increased nearly 40-fold to reach $9.8 billion in 2025.

Asia

President Erdogan hailed a 2.6-billion-euro deal for Spain to buy 30 Turkish-made HURJET trainers as proof of Turkiye's rising defense stature, highlighting expanded NATO cooperation and soaring defense exports reaching $9.8 billion in 2025 figures.

Turkiye’s Erdogan hails €2.6B jet deal with Spain

ISLAMABAD: Turkish authorities arrested 357 suspected Islamic State (ISIS) group members in coordinated raids across 21 provinces Tuesday, T&uuml;rkiye Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said. &quot;This morning, in 21 provinces, we apprehended 357 suspected ISIS members in simultaneous operations conducted by our police,&quot; Yerlikaya said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). The operations were conducted by the national police&#39;s counterterrorism and intelligence departments in coordination with prosecutors&#39; offices, according to the statement. Raids took place in Adana, Ağrı, Ankara, Antalya, Bing&ouml;l, &Ccedil;orum, Denizli, Erzincan, Gaziantep, Giresun, Istanbul, Kastamonu, Kilis, Konya, Muğla, Niğde, Osmaniye, Şanlıurfa, Şırnak, Yalova and Van. The announcement came a day after three police officers and six suspected militants were killed during an eight-hour standoff in the northwestern town of Yalova. Eight police officers and one security force member were wounded, local media reported. Last week, Turkish authorities arrested 115 suspects accused of planning attacks targeting non-Muslims during Christmas and New Year&#39;s celebrations, local media reported. Several detainees are suspected of collecting money under the guise of charity and funneling it to ISIS-linked networks in Syria, according to prosecutors, Al-Arabiya reported. &quot;Just as we have never given an opportunity to those who try to bring this country to its knees with terrorism, we will never give them an opportunity in the future either,&quot; Yerlikaya said. The ISIS has carried out multiple deadly attacks in Turkey, including a shooting at an Istanbul nightclub on January 1, 2017, which killed 39 people.

Europe

Türkiye said 357 suspects were apprehended across 21 provinces in coordinated raids as Ankara intensifies actions against ISIS.

Turkish police detain more than 350 suspects in raids against ISIS

<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar held telephone conversations with his counterparts from Turkiye and Iran on Sunday, discussing bilateral ties and regional developments.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In his call with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Senator Dar reviewed the strong Pakistan-Turkiye bilateral relationship and exchanged views on evolving regional and international issues. The discussion gave particular attention to the developments related to the genocide in Palestine.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2002710754668273881&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8bddf03cc1b023505c669dbf9362ed468e8eba7d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 768px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div><span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Both ministers emphasized the need to enhance collaboration in trade, investment, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges, while reaffirming their shared commitment to promoting regional peace, stability and development.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a separate conversation, Dar spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, reviewing bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors and discussing regional developments.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2002635696172109928&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8bddf03cc1b023505c669dbf9362ed468e8eba7d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 774px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div><span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The two leaders expressed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in trade, connectivity and people-to-people ties. They also reiterated their resolve to work closely for regional peace and development.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The diplomatic engagements reflect Pakistan&#39;s continued focus on strengthening ties with key regional partners and playing a constructive role in addressing regional challenges.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Chairs a high-level meeting on issues relating to the welfare of Overseas Pakistanis (ForeignOfficePk/File)

The talks focused on the Gaza crisis, enhancing bilateral cooperation in trade, investment and connectivity, exchanging views on regional developments, and reaffirming commitment to promoting peace, stability and development in the region.

Pakistan's foreign minister holds talks with Turkiye, Iran on regional developments

ISLAMABAD: The commissioning ceremony of the second Pakistan Navy MILGEM class ship, PNS Khaibar, was held at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard in T&uuml;rkiye, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attending as the chief guest, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday. The Milli Gemi Projesi (MILGEM) or National Ship Project is the national warship program managed by the Turkish Navy. According to ISPR, the Pakistan military&#39;s media wing, the ceremony was also attended by Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Chief of the Naval Staff of Pakistan, along with senior officials from both countries.<div class="fr-embed"> </div>Addressing the ceremony, President Erdoğan described the Pakistan-T&uuml;rkiye relationship as a close and enduring partnership. He termed the brotherly ties between the two countries &ldquo;exemplary&rdquo; and stressed the importance of expanding cooperation in defence production, ISPR said. Speaking on the occasion, Admiral Naveed Ashraf acknowledged the roles of the Turkish state-owned defense company ASFAT, the Istanbul Naval Shipyard, and the original equipment manufacturers involved in the planning, design, and construction of the Pakistan Navy MILGEM ships. &ldquo;The Chief of the Naval Staff appreciated the deepening defence partnership between Pakistan and T&uuml;rkiye,&rdquo; ISPR said, adding that he highlighted how bilateral engagements between the Pakistan Navy and Turkish Naval Forces &ldquo;contribute immensely towards strengthening Pakistan-T&uuml;rkiye defence collaboration and reflect an enduring partnership.&rdquo; Following the commissioning ceremony, the Turkish president visited PNS Khaibar, where he was presented with a guard of honor and interacted with the ship&rsquo;s crew, according to the military&rsquo;s media wing.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2002650419223539938&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=5e4eb668e8337f688a4ffc25095335b6777ba6f2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 1055px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2002650419223539938"></iframe></div></div></div>ISPR said President Erdoğan and Admiral Naveed Ashraf also exchanged views on regional maritime security and discussed avenues for future joint initiatives between the Pakistan Navy and Turkish Naval Forces. The Pakistan Navy MILGEM ships are among the most technologically advanced surface platforms in the fleet. ISPR said the vessels are equipped with modern command-and-control systems and advanced weapons and sensors. The contract for the construction of four MILGEM-class ships for Pakistan was signed in 2018 between Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Defence Production and ASFAT of T&uuml;rkiye. Under the agreement, two ships were to be built in T&uuml;rkiye and two in Pakistan. ISPR said the commissioning of PNS Khaibar marked the completion of the construction of both MILGEM ships being built in T&uuml;rkiye, representing a major milestone in bilateral defence cooperation. In a message shared on social media platform X, President Erdoğan recalled the origins of the MILGEM project, saying, &ldquo;In September 2018, we signed a construction contract for 4 MILGEM ships.&quot; He added, &ldquo;We delivered the first ship, PNS Babur, to Pakistan on 24 May 2024. Today, we also completed the delivery of PNS Khaibar, which has successfully completed all tests and trials.&rdquo; <div style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 550px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2002401103602987445&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=c217259fef387add13882394658ca23afbba96c7&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 873px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf hands over Command scroll to CO PNS Khaibar during the commissioning ceremony held at Istanbul Naval Shipyard, Türkiye (X / DGPR Navy) 

Security

The commissioning ceremony of the second Pakistan Navy MILGEM class ship, PNS Khaibar, was held at Istanbul Naval Shipyard in Türkiye, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attending as the chief guest.

Pakistan Navy commissions PNS Khaibar, strengthening defence partnership with Türkiye

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and T&uuml;rkiye are moving to deepen cooperation in drones, defense, and aviation after two high-level meetings this week with Turkish business and industrial delegations.&nbsp;On Thursday, a T&uuml;rkiye delegation met Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan in Islamabad to explore joint ventures, technology transfer, and local manufacturing in aerospace, drone technology, and defense systems, the Ministry of Commerce said.&nbsp;The delegation included senior professionals from T&uuml;rkiye&rsquo;s aviation, aerospace engineering, defense systems, automotive engineering, and advanced materials sectors.&nbsp;&ldquo;The visitors conveyed strong interest in pursuing joint ventures, technology transfer, and establishing manufacturing capabilities in Pakistan,&rdquo; the ministry said.&nbsp;Khan welcomed the delegation, noting: &ldquo;Pakistan is committed to strengthening economic and industrial ties with T&uuml;rkiye. Our longstanding goodwill provides significant potential for cooperation in aerospace, defense production, minerals development, and dual-use manufacturing.&rdquo;&nbsp;He urged Turkish companies to view Pakistan as &ldquo;a strategic production and export base for regional and global markets, including ASEAN, Africa, the Gulf, and South Asia.&rdquo;&nbsp;Khan also highlighted initiatives including the Karachi Expo Centre expansion and enhanced coordination among the commerce ministry, ministry of defense production, and national technology institutions.&nbsp;Earlier this week, a high-powered delegation of T&uuml;rkiye aerospace, defense, and industrial manufacturers visited the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) in Islamabad.&nbsp;Representing the Bursa Aerospace and Defense Cluster Association (BASDEC) and T&uuml;rkiye&rsquo;s Defense Industry Agency, the delegation met PEC Chairman Engr.&nbsp;Waseem Nazir, who briefed them on PEC&rsquo;s reforms, digital modernization, international accreditation, and efforts to align Pakistan&rsquo;s engineering sector with global standards.&nbsp;&ldquo;We welcome T&uuml;rkiye&rsquo;s rapid strides in defense and industrial innovation and remain committed to expanding international engineering linkages,&rdquo; Nazir said.&nbsp;Representatives from fourteen leading Turkish companies, including ERFA Torna, Bizpark (Ucaksan), FTS Tasarim, LEVKA, MFK, and Defense Systems, presented their capabilities and explored collaboration in R&amp;D, co-production, localized manufacturing, and technology sharing.&nbsp;PEC officials also highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s regulatory framework and opportunities in aerospace and defense engineering.&nbsp;Both sides discussed professional certification, skill development, and joint innovation programs, reaffirming &ldquo;their commitment to advancing mutually beneficial industrial cooperation,&rdquo; the PEC statement said.&nbsp;The meetings signal a major step toward deeper Pakistan-T&uuml;rkiye collaboration in drones, defense manufacturing, and aviation, laying the groundwork for long-term industrial and technological partnerships.

Economy

Islamabad and Istanbul held high-level meetings this week to strengthen cooperation in drones, defence, and aviation, exploring joint ventures, technology transfer, and long-term industrial partnerships.

Articles tagged with "Turkiye"