Pakistan, Turkey reaffirm defense cooperation in high-level military meetings

Pakistan and Turkey reaffirmed their defense partnership during a series of high-level military meetings held Thursday across Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Turkish Land Forces Commander General Metin Tokel met senior Pakistani military chiefs across all three service branches, covering regional security and bilateral cooperation.

What did Pakistan and Turkey agree on in their defense meetings?

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral defense cooperation, discussing the regional security environment, maritime security and air force collaboration. General Tokel praised the professionalism of Pakistan's armed forces and pledged to deepen institutional ties.

The meetings spanned army, navy and air force headquarters over the course of the day.

Which Pakistani military chiefs did the Turkish commander meet?

General Tokel's first meeting was with Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, where he was received with a guard of honor.

Munir highlighted the longstanding historical, cultural and strategic relationship between the two countries. He also appreciated the close defense partnership their armed forces have built over decades.

Tokel then traveled to Naval Headquarters in Islamabad to meet Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf. Discussions focused on professional matters and the evolving regional maritime security environment, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

What was discussed at Air Headquarters during the Turkish visit?

The Turkish commander's final meeting was with Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu at Air Headquarters.

The two sides reviewed bilateral military cooperation and other matters of professional interest, according to the ISPR statement. The air force dimension carries particular weight given recent reporting on Pakistan-Turkey collaboration on advanced aerospace programs.

General Tokel expressed a commitment to further strengthening defense cooperation and institutional ties between the armed forces of both countries, ISPR said.