Türkiye's bilateral trade with Pakistan reached historical high in 2024, says President Erdogan

ISTANBUL

The bilateral trade volume between Türkiye and Pakistan reached its highest level in 2024, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Thursday.

The trade volume rose by nearly 30% year-on-year in 2024 to reach $1.4 billion.

"However, we are still far behind our trade volume target of $5 billion. Undoubtedly, we all have a role in realizing our potential," Erdogan announced, addressing the Türkiye-Pakistan Business Forum in the Pakistani capital Islamabad.

“In this direction, I believe that expanding the scope of our Preferential Trade Agreement and evolving it towards a Free Trade Agreement will lead to a stable and balanced increase in trade volume.”

"Türkiye and Pakistan are the two countries that can contribute most to peace, tranquility, and development of the region in many areas, if they work shoulder to shoulder," he added.

"It is also important that we develop combined freight transportation, diversify our transportation options, and make progress, especially on road and rail. It will be in the interest of our entire region to evaluate the projects that we can realize with a holistic perspective on the common corridor, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and development road routes, such as the reactivation of the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul Freight Train Line," he noted.

Gaza belongs to Gazans

Regarding the current situation in Gaza and the ceasefire agreement, the president noted that while "the Palestinians fulfilled their commitment, the ceasefire agreement came to an impasse the day before yesterday due to Israel's failure to keep its promises."

The region is again being dragged towards blood and tears, he noted, stressing that Gaza belongs to the Gazans.

"The homeland for which Palestinians have martyred tens of thousands of their children cannot be negotiated," Erdogan highlighted.

"I sincerely believe that the alliance of humanity, especially the Arab and Islamic world, won't leave Gazans alone and unprotected during this critical period. We will continue to do our part in every field to prevent a new Nakba," he added.

The ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement has been in place in Gaza since Jan. 19, halting the Israeli war that has killed more than 48,200 people, mostly women and children, and left the Palestinian enclave in ruins.

President Erdogan and Turkish officials are on a four-day Asia tour in which Pakistan is the third stop after Malaysia and Indonesia.