ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday met his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is due to arrive in Pakistan later this week.

The meeting took place during a brief stopover at Istanbul airport, while the president was en route to Portugal, where both countries agreed to boost counter-terror cooperation in a separate meeting in Islamabad.

In their meeting, Presidents Zardari and Erdogan discussed bilateral ties and exchanged courtesies, a press release issued by the Presidency said.

Later, President Zardari arrived in Lisbon and offered condolences to Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini following the death of his father, Prince Karim Aga Khan.

Zardari meets Turkish counterpart en route to Lisbon; both countries agree to step up counter-terror efforts

He expressed his heartfelt sympathies on behalf of the people and government of Pakistan, saying that the nation mourned the loss of a “true friend” and “great philanthropist”.

The president said he had deeply been touched by the passing of the Aga Khan, with whom he had personal relations. He lauded the late Aga Khan’s contributions to Pakistan’s social and economic development, particularly in health care, education, community development, and poverty alleviation.

Counter-terrorism dialogue

Separately, Pakistan and Turkiye agreed to strengthen cooperation in countering terrorism financing, preventing radicalisation, and curbing the misuse of the internet for terrorism, the Foreign Office said.

The understanding was reached during the second round of Pakistan-Turkiye Counter-Terrorism Consultations, held in Islamabad after a six-year hiatus despite robust counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries.

“It was agreed to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation in areas of the countering financing of terrorism, preventing the use of internet for terrorist purposes and the prevention of radicalisation,” the FO said.

Both sides reviewed the global and regional terrorism landscape and exchanged views on threats posed by terrorist entities.

The FO said the delegations shared best practices and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration.

“The international community needs to address the root causes of terrorism by resolving long-protracted conflicts,” the FO statement said, adding that both countries would continue their mutual learning and cooperation in countering terrorism.

Pakistan and Turkiye have maintained a deep-rooted strategic partnership, with counter-terrorism cooperation forming a key pillar alongside trade and defence ties.

The first round of counter-terrorism consultations was held in Ankara in May 2019, where both sides explored avenues for cooperation, including law enforcement, criminal justice, countering terrorism financing, and preventing radicalization.

Both countries are acutely aware of the threat of terrorism, with Pakistan facing insurgency in Balochistan as well as Taliban militancy, and Turkiye confronting the Kurdish separatist movement.

Pakistan and Turkiye conduct joint military exercises, codenamed “Ataturk,” focusing on counter-terrorism. These drills involve special forces from both countries, covering urban and rural combat scenarios, hostage rescues, and handling improvised explosive devices.

Intelligence sharing also forms a critical component of bilateral counter-terrorism efforts, with both countries exchanging data on terrorist networks, movements, and financing to pre-empt threats.

Erdogan to visit Pakistan

President Erdogan will also visit Pakistan later this week as part of a three-nation Asia tour to boost ties with Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan, according to Turkish news outlet Daily Sabah.

Erdogan will begin his four-day trip today in Malaysia before heading to Indonesia and concluding the tour in Pakistan, Dawn.com reported.

His meetings will “focus on enhancing cooperation in various fields, as well as hot topics on the international agenda, from the Palestine-Israel conflict to the situation in Syria … as well as the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” the Daily Sabah said.

“Erdogan’s last stopover will be Pakistan, whose relations with Turkiye reached the highest level under successive tenures of the Turkish president,” the daily reported.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2025