Islamabad to ramp up cooperation with Ankara, Cairo in areas of mutual interest

The meetings took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on the sidelines of a two-day quadrilateral huddle set to commence today, bringing together the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt.

The quadrilateral mechanism is being viewed as a key diplomatic track feeding into wider efforts to end the conflict, with a focus on consolidating regional backing for de-escalation, aligning positions ahead of any possible US-Iran talks, and facilitating dialogue.

Though neither Washington nor Tehran are attending the meet, it is still being viewed as a preparatory step toward a broader diplomatic opening.

Deputy PM Dar and Türkiye Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in their meeting at the Foreign Office (FO) ahead of the larger talks, “reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Türkiye across all sectors of mutual interest”, according to an FO press release.

During the meeting, Dar “underscored the historic and fraternal ties between Pakistan and Türkiye, rooted in shared history, culture, and mutual respect”.

The deputy premier expressed satisfaction at the positive trajectory of bilateral relations.

“The discussions provided an opportunity to review the full spectrum of bilateral relations and explore avenues for strengthening the longstanding strategic partnership between the two brotherly countries,” the FO statement read.

“The two leaders also exchanged views on recent regional developments, including the evolving situation in Iran, and emphasised the importance of dialogue and sustained diplomatic engagement to promote peace and stability,” it added.

Both sides reaffirmed their “unwavering support for each other’s core national interests, agreed to maintain close coordination, and to continue working together to deepen the strategic partnership between Pakistan and Türkiye”, the FO noted.

Prior to the discussions with the Turkish FM, Dar held a separate meeting with Egyptian FM Dr Badr Abdelatty, with the two reaffirming their countries’ “commitment to further strengthening cooperation across all domains”, the FO said in a press release.

Abdelatty’s visit is regarded as a “follow-up to recent high-level contacts between the two sides”, including discussions held in Riyadh earlier this month, as well as the Egyptian FM’s Pakistan trip in Nov 2025, during which he met with Dar, President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Army Staff Field Mar­shal Asim Munir.

The FO said the meetings reflect the “close coordination between Pakistan and Egypt on evolving regional developments”.

As both sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations, they expressed satisfaction with the positive trajectory of defence and security cooperation, agreeing to further strengthen collaboration through training exchanges and other institutional mechanisms, the FO said.

They stressed the need to enhance bilateral trade and investment, with agreement on the importance of activating bilateral mechanisms, including a Joint Ministerial Commission, and promoting business-to-business linkages.

Dar “appreciated Egypt’s continued support in the health sector, particularly in combating Hepatitis-C, and welcomed ongoing collaboration in this area”, the statement further said.

Discussing the ongoing situation in the Middle East, the two sides “underscored the need for restraint, de-escalation, and the resolution of disputes through dialogue and diplomacy”, the FO said.

Both sides were satisfied with the positive momentum generated through recent high-level exchanges.

Dar had welcomed his Egyptian counterpart at the MoFA and “reaffirmed that Pakistan attaches great importance to its longstanding and brotherly relations with Egypt, anchored in shared history, common faith, and a convergence of views on regional and international issues”.

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people and strongly condemned the continued aggression by Israeli occupying forces in Gaza and the West Bank.

He appreciated Egypt’s role in facilitating humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza, including support extended to Pakistan’s relief efforts.

Both sides agreed to continue “close coordination” at multilateral fora, including the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

“The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of Pakistan and Egypt to further strengthen their close and brotherly relations and to deepen cooperation across all areas of mutual interest,” the FO observed.

DPM Dar will chair the two-day quadrilateral meeting later today, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.

The participants of the meeting are set to hold “in-depth discussions on a range of issues, including efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region”, according to the FO.

They will also call on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Egyptian FM Abdelatty and Turkiye’s FM Hakan Fidan landed in Pakistan last night, while Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud is expected to arrive shortly.

Pakistan has stepped up diplomatic outreach as it attempts to de-escalate Middle East hostilities sparked by the United States and Israel’s strikes on Iran on February 28, which have engulfed the entire region as Tehran continues its retaliatory attacks.

Islamabad has been engaging Washington, Gulf capitals and other Muslim countries in an effort to create space for talks.

The quadrilateral meeting was initially planned to be held in Turkiye, but at the last moment it was shifted to Islamabad due to Dar’s inability to travel because of his involvement in Pakistani efforts to facilitate the US-Iran talks.

A diplomatic source said talks in Islamabad could take place around Tuesday, led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Another diplomat closely following the talks said there is an expectation that Washington could announce a ceasefire to coincide with the start of dialogue, in line with Tehran’s demand for confidence-building measures. However, the diplomatic source cautioned that all this remained subject to how events would unfold over the next 48 hours.

Germany’s FM Johann Wadephul on Friday claimed that a direct US-Iran meeting would take place in Pakistan “very soon”.