UPDATE - Turkish President Erdogan voices support for Pakistan against terrorism

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT FROM PAKISTAN PRIME MINISTER

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday expressed solidarity with Pakistan against acts of terror perpetrated against the country.

"President Erdogan stated that Türkiye stands by Pakistan against terrorist actions that threaten peace and security," Türkiye's Communications Directorate said in a statement following a meeting between Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of a summit of the Developing-8 (D-8) group in Cairo, Egypt.

Erdogan also told Sharif that Ankara welcomes "the recovery of the Pakistani economy, and that efforts will continue to enhance political and economic cooperation between the two countries," the statement added.

The two also discussed bilateral relations, regional issues, and global developments with Sharif, according to Türkiye's Communications Directorate.

Erdogan also reiterated Türkiye’s commitment to stand by the Syrian people during their "historic" transformation process following the collapse of the Bashar Assad regime earlier this month.

- Need to work closely in IT, agriculture, green technologies

Sharif, in post on X, expressed his satisfaction with the meeting and said that he and Erdogan reaffirmed the “historic and fraternal bond” between the two nations.

He underlined the need to work closely in the fields of IT, agriculture and green technologies in order to reach the trade target of $5 billion between the two countries.

Sharif also underscored Pakistan's support for Palestine and renewed his invitation to Erdogan to the seventh High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council to be held in the Pakistan capital Islamabad.

The D-8 summit, titled “Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow's Economy," was held in Cairo on Thursday.

The D-8 group was established in Istanbul in 1997 to strengthen economic and social relations among its member states — Türkiye, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Iran, and Malaysia. Azerbaijan also joined the group on Thursday.