Turkish, Pakistani officials talk defense cooperation

By Amir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Turkish and Pakistani defense officials on Thursday discussed the defense cooperation in Rawalpindi, a northern city of Pakistan.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar met Zubaida Jalal, Pakistan's federal minister for defense production, to discuss issues of mutual interest, particularly ways to improve defense cooperation, said a statement by the Pakistani ministry.

Jalal appreciated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his policies on robust relations between Pakistan and Turkey.

She also thanked Akar for active participation of Turkish defense industry in IDEAS 2018 Expo held in Karachi last month.

Jalal also thanked Turkish government for the cooperation in areas of health and education in Balochistan, a restive southwestern province.

Ankara and Islamabad have developed strong bilateral ties, especially in defense and security fields, in recent years.

In July this year, Ankara won a multibillion-dollar tender to supply four corvettes to Pakistan Navy -- a deal dubbed as the biggest export for Turkey’s defense industry in history by then-Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli.

In May 2017, Turkish and Pakistani defense companies struck another deal for construction of four Turkish Ada class MILGEM (National Ship) corvettes.

According to the agreement, two ships will be built in Istanbul and two others in Karachi.