Pakistan okays panel to boost economic ties with Turkey

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan

Pakistan has okayed a high-level committee to boost economic cooperation with Turkey, an official said on Wednesday.

Approval for the Pak-Turk Strategic Economic Framework came at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan in the capital Islamabad.

"This is a big development which would help strengthen our relationship and cooperation with brotherly Turkey," said Firdous Ashiq Awan, a special assistant to the prime minister, in comments aired on state-run Pakistan Television.

The framework has nine joint working groups that will cover all sectors of the economy, said the report.

It also added that 71 actionable items such as free trade agreement, technology transfer, capacity building, and defense cooperation have been included in the framework.

Khan will represent Pakistan, while the Turkish side will be led by Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, she added.

Turkish and Pakistani officials had agreed to set up the committee during Khan's visit to Turkey in January when the first meeting took place.

"All sectors of the economy will be covered by joint working groups and 71 actionable items have been included in them," Awan added.