ISPR says visit reflects enduring strategic partnership and shared commitment to regional peace, stability and security
Chief of Defense Staff Marshal Asim Munir meets with Chief of General Staff of Turkey General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu at the General Headquarters on Friday. —ISPR
Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir deliberated on the current regional and global security landscape with the Turkish military chief on Friday.
Pakistan and Turkey enjoy close defense ties. Ankara has been involved in the construction of corvette warships for the Pakistan Navy and the modernization of the Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 fighter jets. Turkey also shares its drone technology with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and has offered their participation in its fifth-generation Kaan fighter jet program.
State broadcaster PTV News said in a message on
“Apart from expanding on issues of mutual interest, the current regional and global security landscape and prospects for strengthening bilateral defense and military cooperation were also discussed.
“The dignitaries expressed satisfaction with the current trajectory of Pakistan-Turkey relations, while emphasizing the need to maintain close coordination and strengthen defense collaboration,” the statement said.
He added that CDF Munir highlighted the “long-standing brotherly relations” between Pakistan and Turkey, which he said are rooted in common history, mutual trust and strong people-to-people ties.
“He appreciated the support and cooperation provided by the Turkish Armed Forces and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthen bilateral military-to-military relations. General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and appreciated the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces. He reaffirmed Turkey’s determination to deepen defense cooperation, including training, joint exercises and capacity building initiatives,” the statement said.
He added that the visit “reflects the enduring strategic partnership between Pakistan and Turkey and their shared commitment to regional peace, stability and security.”
The Turkish military leader was presented with a guard of honor by an army contingent upon his arrival.
General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, Chief of the Turkish General Staff, today visited Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, COAS and CDF, at General Headquarters (GHQ). On his arrival at General Headquarters, he is presented with the guard of honor by a well-rounded man… pic.twitter.com/MCFQDkShKR
– PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) January 30, 2026
Learn more: Pak-Saudi agreement: the dawn of a new era
The meeting came after Defense Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj confirmed on January 15 that Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey had prepared a draft defense agreement after nearly a year of negotiations, signaling they may seek a bulwark against a surge in regional violence over the past two years.
Harraj said Reuters The potential deal between the three regional powers was separate from the Saudi-Pakistani bilateral defense agreement announced last year. A final consensus among the three states is needed to finalize the agreement, he said.
“The Pakistan-Saudi Arabia-Türkiye trilateral agreement is already in the pipeline,” Harraj said in an interview.
“The draft agreement is already available with us. The draft agreement is already with Saudi Arabia. The draft agreement is already available with Turkey. And the three countries are deliberating. And this agreement has been there for 10 months.”
Bloomberg previously reported that Turkey was seeking to join a strategic mutual defense agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg had said discussions were at an advanced stage and an agreement was likely. The defense agreement, signed by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in Riyadh in September last year, commits the two countries to treat any aggression against one as an attack on both.
The report said Turkey views the deal as a way to strengthen security cooperation and deterrence at a time when questions persist about the reliability of the United States and U.S. President Donald Trump’s commitment to NATO, despite Washington’s strong military ties with all three countries.
Read also: Turkey seeks entry into Pak-Saudi defense deal: Bloomberg
According to BloombergTurkey’s strategic interests increasingly align with those of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in South Asia, the Middle East and parts of Africa, making its inclusion in the deal a logical expansion.
Analysts cited in the report highlighted the complementary strengths of the three countries, with Saudi Arabia providing financial resources, Pakistan providing nuclear capability, ballistic missile capability and manpower, and Turkey contributing military experience and a developed defense industry.
Learn more: A trilateral partnership involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey
The report notes that Turkey’s potential accession to the deal would mark a new phase in its relations with Saudi Arabia, after years of strained relations. The two countries are now expanding their cooperation in the economic and defense sectors and recently held their first ever naval meeting in Ankara.
