ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Turkey Friday agreed to bolster defence ties and cooperation in other fields.

The understanding came during talks between both the countries in Islamabad in which Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi led the Pakistani side while his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu led his delegation. The two sides also agreed to enhance trade, economic and investment relations.

Addressing a joint news conference with the Turkish counterpart, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the progress on Free Trade Agreement. He said it had been agreed to revive the process of talks on FTA and take it to logical conclusion at the earliest.

Qureshi maintained his Turkish counterpart had accepted his invitation to participate in the meeting of Kashmir Contact Group to be held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session this month. He thanked unambiguous stance of Turkey on Kashmir and its support to Pakistan at other international forums.

The Turkish FM termed the friendship of both the countries ‘everlasting’ while saying that Pakistan is his ‘second home.’

Earlier, the two held a one-on-one meeting followed by delegation level talks in which senior officials from both sides were present. It is Cavusoglu’s fifth visit to Islamabad.

Qureshi said Pakistan and Turkey had been ‘brothers, friends and partners.’ “The inseparable bonds of common faith, history, culture have been reinforced by mutual trust and a sense of inter-dependence on critical issues. The strength of Pakistan - Turkey relationship is not relative to time, situations or individual choices. It is a relationship anchored in affection and solidarity among the people of the two nations,” he added.

Qureshi noted that regular exchange of high-level visits, and presence of a number of institutional frameworks under the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, was indicative of the close bilateral ties maintained at various levels. Pakistan and Turkey supported each other on all issues of core concern to both sides.

 While reiterating the “heart to heart” and “Two Countries, One Nation” relations between the two countries, he underlined that Pakistan will always have a special significance in Turkish Foreign Policy. He appreciated Pakistan’s successful and strong action to subdue and defeat the menace of extremism and terrorism.  Both the sides reiterated that Pakistan and Turkey were important members of the Muslim world. “Our people take pride in their faith and are determined to make collective efforts in confronting Islamophobia and other attempts to malign or distort the great message of peace and respect for humanity imbibed in the Holy Quran and repeatedly demonstrated in the life of our Holy Prophet (PBUH),” FM Qureshi said.

He reaffirmed that the government’s priorities were focused on socio-economic uplifting of the people of Pakistan and furthering regional peace and stability in the region, and that Turkey was one of the frontline partners in this pursuit.

Cavusoglu said: “our two nations are destined to achieve great heights through a collective journey on the road to ensuring peace, stability, socio-economic development leading to prosperity of not only our two nations but all other countries and regions in our neighbourhood.”

He added: “Turkey and Pakistan are endowed with unmatched natural, geographic and human resources to achieve these objectives. Leadership on both sides is determined to make best use of the close linkages and the existing potentials to further strength Pak-Turkey strategic partnership.”

Qureshi pointed out that a high level strategic council exists between the two countries which provides mechanism to ensure implementation on the already signed projects.

Describing talks with Qureshi as fruitful, Cavusoglu said they had agreed to further strengthen their relations. He said his country will encourage the Turkish companies to invest in different sectors in Pakistan. The Turkish Foreign Minister added that they also desired to further deepen the defence relations.

He said the defence industries of both countries had developed tremendously over a period of time and have expertise in different areas following which they can greatly benefit from each other’s experiences.

The Turkish Foreign Minister said that his country desired resolution of Kashmir dispute through dialogue between Pakistan and India and in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations. Before the conference, delegation level talks were also held between the two sides at the foreign office during which the entire gamut of bilateral relations was discussed.

The Turkish Foreign Minister also held meetings with President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan and army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa. During the meetings, the relations between Turkey and Pakistan were discussed and views exchanged on regional and international developments.

Cavusoglu also extended the message of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the Pakistani leadership.