Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Turkey on the third and final leg of his three-nation visit, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Thursday.
During the visit, the premier is scheduled to attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, where he will take part in discussions with global leaders on key regional and international issues.
Sharif is also expected to hold a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during his stay.
The Pakistani delegation accompanying the prime minister includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi and the prime minister’s spokesperson for international media Mosharraf Zaidi.
Qatar visit concludes
Before arriving in Turkey, Sharif concluded a visit to Qatar, where he held a meeting with the emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting took place at the Amiri Diwan in Doha.
The Qatari leader welcomed the Pakistani delegation and praised Pakistan’s role in supporting diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions in the region.
Sharif condemned attacks targeting Qatar and other Gulf states and reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with the Qatari leadership and people.
Both leaders discussed recent regional and international developments, particularly the situation in the Middle East, and stressed the importance of de-escalation and enhanced international cooperation to ensure regional stability and uninterrupted global energy supplies.
The two sides also reviewed bilateral relations and explored ways to strengthen cooperation in areas such as security, defence and energy.
The leaders later held a one-on-one meeting where they exchanged views on issues of mutual interest and emphasised continued coordination between the two countries amid evolving regional developments.
Following the talks, the emir hosted a luncheon in honour of the Pakistani prime minister and his delegation. Earlier, Sharif was welcomed in Doha with a guard of honour presented by the Qatari armed forces.
Background: US-Iran talks
The diplomatic tour comes amid heightened international attention on Pakistan’s role in facilitating talks between the United States and Iran.
The first round of negotiations in Islamabad took place last weekend and marked the highest-level direct engagement between the two countries since the Iranian Revolution.
The discussions followed a ceasefire announced on April 8 after weeks of fighting in the Gulf region that disrupted global energy supplies and raised fears of a broader conflict.
Despite nearly 21 hours of negotiations, the two sides were unable to reach a formal agreement. Subsequently, the U.S. military signalled plans to impose a blockade on maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports, placing the fragile two-week ceasefire at risk.
A second round of talks is expected to take place in Islamabad before the ceasefire expires, with U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting the negotiations could resume within the next few days.