Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s touching base with Turkey will not have yielded the sort of help that he and his government most urgently need, which is hard cash, mainly because Turkey itself is facing difficult economic conditions itself and has little or nothing to spare. However, Mr Sharif did point the way forward in their relations when talking to potential investors. He pointed out that there were many opportunities in Pakistan, particularly in the energy sector, particularly hydropower and renewable energy. The last time Turkish President Recep Tayip Erogan visited Pakistan, the two countries had agreed to increase bilaterral trade to $ 5 billiion a year. As it is, at present it stands at $1.1 billion a year.
One of the freedoms Pakistan enjoys with Turkey is that there are no restricted areas, something which is emphasized by the military equipment cooperation between the two, which is exemplified by the Pakistan Navy’s purchase of Turkish-made corvettes and the Turkish Air Force’s purchase of Pakistan-made Super-Mushak trainer turboprops. Pakistan and Turkey continue to coordinate in various international organizations, such as the OIC, where Turkish support has become necessary to ensure OIC support for the Kashmiri freedom struggle, and FATF, where Turkish support has been instrumental in defeating Indian machinations to get Pakistan placed on its black list. Turkey has played an instrumental part in the Afghan issue, and will continue to do so. Recent linkages which are being developed, Turkey being the western terminus of the New Silk Road, draw it eve4n closer to Pakistan.
Mr Sharif will have not found the economic relief that he has been seeking wherever he has been going. He may be pleased to learn that China will redeposit the $3 billion it had earlier withdrawn from the State Bank of Pakistan, but Turkey was not in a position to provide such concrete hekp. However, Mr Sharif’s visit provided him an important opportunity to interact with one of Pakistan’s most constant friends.
