Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Istanbul on Friday for an official visit to Turkiye at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said a statement by the government.

The premier, earlier today attended the funeral Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated in a US-Israeli strike on February 28.

After paying his respects, the prime minister departed for Istanbul.

At Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport, the premier was received by Turkish Minister of Trade Professor Dr Omer Bolat, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkiye Dr Yusuf Junaid, and officials from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Pakistani embassy.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar are accompanying the prime minister.

PM Shehbaz and President Erdogan are expected to hold detailed discussions on all aspects of bilateral relations, with a particular focus on enhancing cooperation in trade and investment, added the statement.

They will also exchange views on regional peace and security.

During his stay in Istanbul, the premier is also scheduled to address a Pakistan-hosted business conference aimed at highlighting investment opportunities in sectors including special economic zones (SEZs), energy, information technology and privatisation.

The conference will be attended by prominent Turkish business leaders, investors, senior government officials and other distinguished guests.

Pakistan and Turkiye enjoy strong bilateral ties built on shared cultural, religious and historical bonds, as well as mutual respect.

Last week, Pakistan and Turkiye signed three MoUs aimed at enhancing institutional collaboration, technical cooperation and knowledge sharing in the power sector during high-level consultations held in Istanbul.

The MoUs were signed between Pakistani and Turkish energy sector entities, Independent System and Market Operator (ISMO) and Energy Exchange Istanbul (EPIAS), ISMO and the Turkish Electricity Transmission Corporation (TEIAS), and the Power Planning and Monitoring Company (PPMC) and the Turkish Electricity Distribution Corporation (TEDAS).