Pakistan Turkiye Trade Target Reaffirmed at $5 Billion
Pakistan has reaffirmed the Pakistan Turkiye trade target of $5 billion and wants more Turkish investment, especially in its special economic zones.
The pledge came on Friday when Turkish Ambassador Irfan Nezioglu called on Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Bilal Azhar Kayani in Islamabad, according to a Finance Division press release. The two sides reviewed cooperation in trade, investment and energy. ProPakistani reported the meeting on Friday evening.
Kayani welcomed Turkiye’s strong interest in investing in Pakistan. He said both countries should use their strong political goodwill to increase trade volumes, and he pointed to the special economic zones as the first place for new Turkish projects.
Why the Pakistan Turkiye trade target still matters
The $5 billion goal is not new. Leaders of both countries have repeated it for years. ProPakistani first reported the target in 2020, and both sides renewed it in 2025. It is still waiting to be met, which is why each fresh pledge carries weight only if it is followed by signed deals and shipped goods.
The meeting gave that pledge a practical shape. Kayani praised the active role of Turkish companies at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026, which is under way in Islamabad. He also noted Turkish interest in the privatisation of power distribution companies, and he pointed to maritime trade and ship breaking as sectors with room for joint work.
Both sides agreed to renew efforts to expand the Pakistan-Turkiye Trade in Goods Agreement. They also agreed to hold further meetings to turn political goodwill into firm targets, so the discussion will continue beyond a single courtesy call.
Turkish firms already active at the minerals forum
The timing links the trade talks to the minerals push now running in Islamabad. Turkish companies are taking part in the two-day minerals forum, where Pakistan is pitching its mineral wealth to investors from 60 countries. Barrick is planning mineral processing in Karachi and Gwadar, which shows the scale of the work under way.
The trade picture is wider than minerals. Pakistan Single Window has joined Alibaba.com on digital checks for exporters, and Transsion, the maker of Tecno and Infinix phones, wants to start making phone parts in Pakistan. Each of these steps is meant to lift exports, and the Turkiye target sits in the same plan.
The relationship has a recent record of high-level contact. Shehbaz Sharif and Recep Tayyip Erdogan have built the partnership into a strategic one, and the two leaders also met over the Makkah Accord.
What happens next
The test now is delivery. Further meetings are planned, and the Trade in Goods Agreement is the document to watch. If its scope grows, exporters on both sides will get lower barriers and clearer terms. If it stalls, the $5 billion figure will remain a repeated promise rather than a result.
For Pakistan, the prize is plain: more exports, more investment in special economic zones, and more Turkish firms working in minerals, energy and shipping. For Turkiye, the gain is a larger market and a partner that wants its companies in key sectors. The next round of talks will show whether the pledge made on Friday turns into either.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pakistan Turkiye trade target?
It is an agreed goal of $5 billion in annual bilateral trade between Pakistan and Turkiye. Both countries reaffirmed it in Islamabad on Friday.
Who discussed the target on Friday?
Turkish Ambassador Irfan Nezioglu met Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Bilal Azhar Kayani in Islamabad. The Finance Division issued a press release on the meeting.
Which sectors did they discuss?
Trade, investment and energy, with a focus on special economic zones, minerals, power distribution companies, maritime trade and ship breaking.
Is the $5 billion target new?
No. Leaders first set the goal in 2020 and renewed it in 2025. It has not yet been met.
What is the Trade in Goods Agreement?
It is the Pakistan-Turkiye agreement that governs trade in goods between the two countries. Both sides agreed to renew efforts to expand it.
