Pakistan and Türkiye have agreed to deepen trade ties, with Türkiye backing greater imports of Pakistani mangoes and better branding for Pakistani Basmati rice, after a bilateral meeting in Istanbul on November 4, 2026.
What happened?
Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan met Türkiye’s Minister of Trade, Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, on the sidelines of the 42nd session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC). Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to stronger commercial relations between the two countries.
Key details
- On Basmati rice, Pakistan thanked Türkiye for backing its legitimate claims over the product, while Türkiye stressed the need for effective marketing and branding of Pakistani Basmati in its market.
- On mangoes, Pakistan asked for greater market access, and Türkiye gave its full support to higher imports of Pakistani mangoes.
- On investment, Pakistan invited Turkish companies to set up industrial units in Pakistan, pointing to 1,000 acres of land earmarked for Turkish enterprises in Karachi Industrial Park.
- As a concrete next step, Türkiye agreed to send a delegation of officials to Pakistan to review existing bilateral trade mechanisms and explore practical measures to improve trade relations.
- On the same sidelines, Jam Kamal Khan also met Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk, Director General of the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), to discuss trade data and research cooperation among OIC member states.
What it means for people in Pakistan
For farmers and exporters, greater market access in Türkiye could mean more orders for mangoes and rice, if the follow-up talks turn into firm import arrangements. For industry, Turkish units in Karachi Industrial Park could bring investment and jobs, though concrete outcomes will depend on the delegation’s visit and subsequent agreements.
Source: https://globalnewspakistan.com/pakistan-and-turkiye-push-trade-ties/
