Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to enhance connectivity with Turkmenistan through land and sea routes.

He was speaking at a meeting with Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov in Ashgabat today.

The Prime Minister said Karachi and Gwadar ports are ideally located to be utilized by the Turkmen side to enhance their outreach to South Asia and beyond.

During their warm and cordial meeting, the Prime Minister congratulated the Turkmen President on the 30th anniversary of Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan and on the UN designation of 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust.

While underscoring the importance of the historic and fraternal relations between Pakistan and Turkmenistan, Shehbaz Sharif expressed his resolve to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries, particularly through enhanced trade and economic engagement.

The Prime Minister conveyed his deepest gratitude to the Turkmen leadership and government for the support extended to safely evacuate Pakistani nationals from Iran during the Iran-Israel war earlier this year.

While thanking the Turkmen President for the gracious hospitality extended to him and his delegation by the Turkmen side, the Prime Minister conveyed his warm wishes for National Leader of Turkmen People Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and reiterated his most cordial invitation to him as well as to President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to undertake official visits to Pakistan next year, on mutually convenient dates, to be worked out by the two sides.

The Turkmen President thanked the Prime Minister for his visit and participating in the International Forum on Peace and Trust and assured that Turkmenistan is also keen to enhance its bilateral cooperation with Pakistan across multiple areas of mutual interest.

Earlier today, the Prime Minister arrived in Ashgabat on a two-day official visit to Turkmenistan to participate in the International Forum dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust (2025), International Day of Neutrality and the 30th anniversary of the Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan.