Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has appreciated Turkeys positive role in the Middle East and said that Pakistan and Turkey could be pillars of strength in the region. Khar is currently visiting Turkey on the invitation of her Turkish counterpart Prof. Dr. Ahmet Davutoglu, met separately with President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Istanbul Friday. She also conveyed the greetings of President Asif Ali Zardari to President Gul, while showing his satisfaction over the level of growing economic ties; the president said Turkish leadership is encouraging its businessmen to further expand their investment ventures in Pakistan, especially in the energy sector.