AFPAK Monitoring Desk Islamabad
Turkish security sources said on Thursday that intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın travelled to Pakistan after visiting Afghanistan. Turkish media said he discussed bilateral ties, regional security and Middle East tensions with senior Pakistani officials.
Türkiye’s Anadolu Agency reported that during his visit to Islamabad, Kalın met Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and the head of the Inter-Services Intelligence agency, Asim Malik. He was also received by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
There is not confirmation available in Pakistan that the meetings have taken place anywhere from any side.
The senior Turkish official told Pakistani officials that Türkiye would make every effort to help resolve tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan through dialogue, as it had done in the past.
The two sides also agreed to further strengthen their existing high-level security and intelligence cooperation.
Türkiye reiterated its support for Pakistan in the fight against terrorism and said it would continue backing efforts to strengthen Pakistan’s counter-terrorism capabilities.
The meetings also covered the current state of relations between Türkiye and Pakistan, opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation, and regional and global developments.
Anadolu reported that officials discussed the security situation in the Middle East following the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran, rising regional tensions and the political, security and economic consequences of the conflict for countries in the region.
Recent tensions and developments between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, as well as the risks they pose to regional stability, were also discussed.
Anadolu said the talks emphasised the importance of the Mecca Mutual Defence Agreement in providing common ground between the parties as part of efforts to restore stability in the region.
( Turkish News Agency published the file picture of a previous meeting of Turkish and Pakistani Intelligence Chiefs that has been used by some Pakistani media as well )
During his visit to Kabul and Kandahar, Türkiye’s intelligence chief met senior Taliban officials, including the interior and defence ministers, the deputy prime minister for economic affairs and the head of Taliban intelligence.
The report by Anadolu News Agency
Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Ibrahim Kalin visited Pakistan following his trip to Afghanistan, holding talks with senior Pakistani officials on bilateral ties, regional security, and ongoing tensions in the Middle East, Turkish security sources said Thursday.
During his visit to the capital Islamabad, Kalin met Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Inter-Services Intelligence chief Asim Malik, and he was also received by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The talks addressed the current state of Türkiye-Pakistan relations and opportunities for further cooperation, as well as regional and global developments.
The officials discussed the security landscape that emerged in the Middle East following the beginning of the US-Israel war with Iran, rising regional tensions, and the conflict’s political, security, and economic repercussions for regional countries.
They also assessed the risk of the conflicts spreading to other countries and regions, according to the sources.
Recent tensions and developments between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, as well as the risks they pose to regional stability, were also among the issues discussed.
The talks highlighted the importance of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement in providing common ground among the parties as part of efforts to restore regional stability.
The officials also pointed to the roles of Türkiye and Pakistan in reducing tensions and keeping diplomatic channels open.
Türkiye stressed that it would continue to make every effort to help resolve tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan through dialogue, as it has done in the past.
The two sides also agreed to further strengthen their existing high-level cooperation in the security and intelligence fields.
Türkiye reiterated its support for Pakistan in its fight against terrorism and underlined that it would continue supporting efforts to strengthen the country’s counterterrorism capacity.
Kalin’s Pakistan visit came after he held talks in Kabul and Kandahar with senior Afghan officials.
