Junaid Naqi, President of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), has welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official visit to Turkiye, calling it a positive and timely development for enhancing economic cooperation between the two brotherly nations.

In a statement, Junaid Naqi expressed confidence that the visit would open a new chapter in economic ties and play a pivotal role in strengthening bilateral trade and industrial collaboration. “Turkiye is a long-standing strategic partner of Pakistan, and in the current global environment, building on such strong relations is vital,” he stated.

He emphasized the need for practical steps toward achieving the $5 billion bilateral trade target, adding that last year’s record-high trade volume of $1.4 billion was an encouraging sign of progress. “We hope to see this momentum continue, particularly in key sectors like textiles, machinery, IT, and food processing,” he said.

Junaid Naqi also highlighted Turkiye’s interest in operationalising the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul trade corridor, calling it a “potential game-changer” that could offer Pakistani exporters easier access to European and Middle Eastern markets.

“We have high expectations from the meeting between Prime Minister Sharif and President Erdogan,” he added. “If both leaders’ vision is effectively implemented, Pakistan can witness a remarkable boost in exports, industrial output, and foreign direct investment.”

Naqi concluded by expressing optimism about new opportunities for Pakistani industrialists in sectors such as digital trade and energy, and urged that local industries must directly benefit from future partnerships with Türkiye.