Turkiye’s Erdogan meets Pakistan PM in Istanbul weeks after India conflict
Al Jazeera3 days
Erdoğan, Sharif Meet in Istanbul Amid India-Turkey Tensions
Above: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (R) meets with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (L) at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 25, 2025. Image copyright: TURKISH PRESIDENCY/Mustafa Kamaci/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Pakistan narrative
Pakistan and Turkey's deep ties transcend mere diplomacy — it's a sacred alliance forged in shared struggle and mutual sacrifice. From supporting Turkish independence to standing together on Kashmir and Cyprus, these nations exemplify unwavering solidarity. Their strategic partnership, spanning defense cooperation to economic collaboration, represents hope for genuine Muslim unity and regional prosperity.
Pro-India narrative
Pakistan’s deepening alliance with Turkey — rooted in religious affinity — has evolved into a strategic, military partnership that empowers Islamabad’s anti-India agenda. Erdoğan’s opportunistic indulgence of Pakistan undermines regional stability, emboldens extremist posturing, and positions Turkey as an adversarial force in South Asia, driven more by ambition within the Islamic world than by genuine diplomacy.
Pro-Turkey narrative
Turkey is a constructive regional actor that can be a stabilizing force in Eurasia. While it enjoys deep ties to Pakistan in the arenas of geopolitics, trade, and economics, like India, Turkey is also a powerful regional democracy that makes pragmatic choices.