The 16th Session of the Pakistan–Türkiye Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC), a pivotal platform for bilateral economic collaboration since 1975, concluded in Islamabad on September 9, 2025, following two days of intensive discussions.
The meeting was jointly led by Pakistan’s Commerce Minister, H.E. Mr. Jam Kamal Khan, and Türkiye’s Minister of National Defence, H.E. Yaşar Güler.
The session built on thorough inter-ministerial consultations, including inputs from the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), Joint Standing Committees (JSCs), and diplomatic channels, with a detailed draft protocol reviewed beforehand. The final technical session successfully addressed critical areas of partnership.
Talks spanned 24 sectors, including Trade and Investment, Energy, ICT, Banking and Finance, Industrial Cooperation, Education, Health, Labour, Tourism, and Climate Change. A standout commitment was the goal to boost bilateral trade to USD 5 billion, with the first face-to-face round of negotiations for a Trade in Goods Agreement slated for October 2025. Both nations pledged to enhance business-to-business ties, promote digital trade, and improve customs efficiency.
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Regional connectivity took center stage, with agreements to fast-track the Islamabad–Tehran–Istanbul (ITI) Railway Corridor and advance the proposed TURPAK Transport Corridor. Maritime cooperation will expand into ship recycling and port projects. In energy, Sub-Working Groups will explore renewable energy, hydrocarbons, hydrogen, mining, LNG, and electric vehicle infrastructure, alongside efforts in electricity distribution, transmission upgrades, and hydropower.
Progress was notable in digital transformation and industry, with plans for an IT Business Forum and stronger SME ties under the SMEDA–KOSGEB MoU. Agricultural collaboration will focus on livestock health, irrigation, fisheries, and digital crop monitoring. Financially, the countries will assess Turkish banks’ entry into Pakistan, enhance Islamic and digital finance, and boost Exim Bank cooperation. An MoU on labour, covering rights, women’s employment, child protection, and social security, along with a Joint Working Commission on Labour, is set to be finalized.
Other initiatives include launching the Pakistan-Türkiye Textile Technology Centre at NTU Faisalabad, expanding academic and vocational exchanges, and deepening ties in tourism, pharmaceuticals, health tourism, and heritage preservation. A Youth and Sports Working Group will foster engagement, alongside efforts on social protection and climate action.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs hailed the renewed vigor in Pakistan–Türkiye relations, anticipating swift execution of the session’s decisions. The outcomes reinforce a shared ambition to forge a more robust and strategic economic alliance.
