Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan on Friday condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed their commitment to close coordination on regional issues under the Makkah Defence Agreement.
During their meeting in Istanbul, the two leaders reviewed bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional developments, particularly the situation in the Middle East and Palestine, according to a statement issued by Foreign Office.
They expressed concern over threats to regional stability and stressed the importance of dialogue, diplomacy and coordinated efforts to promote peace and security.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation under the defence agreement involving Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, as well as enhancing ties across areas of mutual interest.
Dar thanked Fidan for Türkiye’s hosting of the R4 ministerial meeting and the R4+E3 meeting involving the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
He also conveyed condolences over the loss of lives caused by flash floods following heavy rains in Türkiye and wished those affected a speedy recovery.
The two foreign ministers reaffirmed the longstanding bonds of friendship between Pakistan and Türkiye and pledged to deepen cooperation in bilateral and multilateral forums.
R4+E3 diplomatic talks
Dar arrived in Istanbul on Friday to attend the R4 meeting, comprising Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt, followed by talks with the E3 countries — the United Kingdom, France and Germany.
The Foreign Office said the meetings would focus on key regional and international developments and explore coordinated diplomatic approaches to shared challenges and regional stability. The R4+E3 gathering is the first meeting bringing the seven countries together in this format.
Dar was received upon arrival by Turkish Foreign Ministry Director General Ambassador Cihad Erginay, Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires Shaiq Ahmed, Pakistan’s Consul General in Istanbul Khawaja Khurram Naeem, Additional Secretary Ambassador Khalil Hashmi and other Pakistani diplomatic officials.
During the visit, Dar is also scheduled to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and hold bilateral meetings with other counterparts.