ANKARA: Pakistan is looking to increase cooperation and trade in the areas of textiles, construction, defense, and clean energy with Turkey and is eyeing to raise trade volume to $5 billion from the current $1 billion within the next three to four years, Islamabad’s envoy to Ankara said.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, newly appointed Pakistan’s ambassador in Ankara, Dr. Yousaf Junaid, thanked Turkey for helping Islamabad during the worst floods in 2022 and for diplomatic and moral support on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir — a lingering dispute between India and Pakistan, despite the UN Security Council’s January 5, 1949 resolution, asking both countries to hold a free and impartial plebiscite to decide the fate of the region.
Cooperation, bilateral trade
Recalling Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s suggestion of “collective research and pooling of resources” between the two countries during his last trip to Turkey, Junaid said the two countries have experience and expertise in several sectors including trade, defense, economy, and development.
“Through utilising complementarities and comparative advantage, both countries should enhance collaboration in key areas including in defense, digital and emerging technologies,” he said.
“This is an important priority for us where a lot of work is also being done. There are several potential areas where both countries can undertake collective research and pooling of resources,” he added.
Junaid said Pakistan has a skilled labour force and an abundance of natural resources whilst Turkey has advanced technology that can be merged to become the leading textile manufacturer in the world.
“Similarly, in the clean energy sector, joint research facilities could be established for the development of clean energy resources, including cheaper and better solar energy systems,” he added.
Construction is another area beneficial for both countries, he said, adding: “Turkey has decades-long experience which could be utilized by Pakistan. In this respect, TOKI is being approached to play a role.” TOKI is Turkey’s state-run housing agency.
“Towards ensuring self-dependence in the defense sector, several projects are being undertaken jointly. MILGEM Corvette project is an excellent illustration of this joint collaboration,” he added.
On bilateral trade volume crossing the $1 billion mark, Junaid said: “This figure is well below the true potential that the two countries carry.”
“To tap the potential and feeling to do this through liberalizing the trade in key product sectors, an Agreement on Trade in Goods was signed between the two countries on Augist 12, 2022. The agreement is being submitted to the Turkish Grand National Assembly for ratification. Once this agreement becomes operational, the bilateral concessions granted by the two sides would help achieve exponential growth in value and volumes to reach a targeted trade volume of $5 billion in the next three to four years,” he said.
“Other efforts on bilateral levels to increase investment in key sectors of Pakistan’s economy such as energy, food, and consumer goods from the Turkish side would complement the efforts to increase bilateral trade between the two countries,” he added.
Stating that Pakistan and Turkey have unique relations, Junaid said: “Bonds between two countries and people are unbreakable and embedded in our common civilisational, cultural and religious ethos.”
Floods in Pakistan
Last year, Pakistan was hit by torrential rains and devastating floods that brought a third of Pakistan under water, aside from killing nearly 1,700 people, since mid-June.
Over 33 million people, mainly in Sindh and Balochistan, were affected by the biblical floods, with hundreds of thousands of houses, buildings, bridges, schools, and roads washed away.
“We appreciate that Turkey was one of the first countries to respond to the flood situation in Pakistan with the immediate dispatch of relief goods. Turkey immediately sent humanitarian aid through 15 military aircraft, 6 trucks, 13 trains, and 2 ships. Relief supplies are still being sent from Turkey,” said Junaid.
“The water has now receded but has left behind a daunting task of rehabilitation. A detailed Post Flood Damage and Needs Assessment (PDNA) was carried out by Pakistan along with international development partners. It was estimated that overall damages and losses were to the tune of $30 billion in 17 sectors of the economy. The requirement as per PDNA is $16 billion. Pakistan has been pursuing Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Framework (4RF), reflecting priorities of the federal and provincial governments for recovery efforts,” he added.
Pakistan is co-hosting an international conference on helping flood victims with the UN on January 9 in Geneva “to marshal international support for the people and government of Pakistan to rehabilitate the affected population and reconstruct the damaged infrastructure in a climate-resilient manner after the devastating floods in 2022,” said Junaid.
High-level participation from international organizations, such as IMF and World Bank, international NGOs, and bilateral partners like Turkey is expected, he added.
Kashmir
Speaking on the situation in Kashmir, Junaid said that it is “very concerning from human rights and humanitarian perspective.”
“The brutal suppression and killing spree of Indian occupation forces continue in the Indian-held Kashmir, in stark violation of international law which has also put the regional and global peace and security in jeopardy,” said Junaid.
“India’s actions, particularly after August 5, 2019, are in clear violation of the United Nations Charter, United Nations Security Council resolutions, international law, including human rights and international humanitarian law particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention. India continues to deny Kashmiris their right to self-determination — an inherent right that is also recognized by the United Nations Security Council,” he added.
He also thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statement on the Kashmir issue at the United Nations General Assembly, adding: “Turkey’s support is a source of comfort for the oppressed people of Kashmir.”
