ANKARA

Turkey and Pakistan held talks in the capital Anakra to finalize Strategic Economic Framework (SEF) aimed at boosting trade and commercial ties between the two countries, a statement said on Saturday.

According to the statement issued by Pakistan’s Embassy in Ankara, a “considerable progress” was made during the talks between senior officials from the two countries on Friday.

"Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan agreed on January 4, 2019 in Ankara to develop a long-term SEF for promoting economic relationship to reflect the extremely close strategic and historic ties between the two countries," it said.

“Broader areas of collaboration in the proposed SEF includes: trade and textile, investment and industrial cooperation, banking and finance, transport and communication, low-cost housing, defence production, aviation, auto industry, agriculture, water resource management, health and pharmaceuticals, transport and communication, education and vocational training, energy, science and technology, organized industrial zones and small and medium enterprises as well as culture and tourism,” the statement added.

Turkey’s Deputy Minister for Trade Gonca Yilmaz Batur headed the Turkish delegation; while Noor Ahmed, Secretary of Economic Affairs Division led the Pakistani delegation at the meeting.

Among the attendees were Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkey Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi, Pakistan Consul General in Istanbul Bilal Khan Pasha and other senior officials from the two countries.