Guard of honour, 21-gun salute mark Erdogan’s arrival at PM House

Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday arrived at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad where he was warmly greeted with a grand guard of honour.

This formal reception marks the beginning of his official visit, during which he will hold discussions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to strengthen bilateral relations.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif greeted President Erdogan and First Lady Emine Erdogan with full state protocol upon their arrival.

The prime minister introduced the visiting president to members of his federal cabinet, with each member greeting Erdogan individually.

Later, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and warmly greeted him on his official visit to Pakistan.

In a further show of respect, President Erdogan was honoured with a spectacular flypast by F-16 fighter jets, adding to the grandeur of his visit.

Erdogan arrived in Islamabad late on Wednesday on a two-day visit to Pakistan during which he would hold bilateral meetings with the Pakistani leadership and address the Pakistan-Turkiye Business and Investment Forum.

Erdogan was accorded a warm welcome at the Nur Khan Airbase. He was received by President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, First Lady Aseefa Bhutto, Deputy Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and senior government officials.

A 21-gun salute was fired in honour of President Erdogan, who was accompanied by a high-level delegation. The Pakistan Air Force jets escorted Erdogan’s special aircraft as it entered Pakistan’s airspace, adding to the significance of the visit.

Two children, dressed in traditional attire, presented bouquets to President Erdogan and the First Lady. The welcome ceremony also included a performance by the military band, while children waved the flags of both Pakistan and Turkey.

During his visit, President Erdogan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will co-chair the 7th Session of the Pakistan-Turkey High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), aimed at further strengthening bilateral relations. Erdogan will also engage in bilateral meetings with both Prime Minister Sharif and President Zardari.