Erdogan, Alvi want ties turned into trade partnership.

ISLAMABAD -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Dr Arif Alvi, during a meeting on Thursday, underscored the importance of fully realising the immense potential of relationship between the two countries and transforming it into a strong and dynamic trade and economic partnership, according to a tweet from the official handle of the president of Pakistan.

Earlier in the day, President Erdogan opened his two-day trip to Pakistan that aims to bolster traditional friendship between the two countries by injecting greater strategic content in it and developing stronger trade and economic relations.

President Erdogan and Turkish first lady Emine Erdogan were received at Nur Khan Airbase by Prime Minister Imran Khan and members of the federal cabinet. Mr Erdogan is leading a high level delegation comprising his cabinet ministers, senior officials and top Turkish corporate leaders.

'Khush Amdeed, Welcome, Hosgeldiniz to our honoured guests. The People and Government of Pakistan welcome you to your second home,' Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui tweeted shortly after Mr Erdogan's arrival. In another tweet with a picture of two children presenting bouquets to Mr and Mrs Erdogan, she said: 'This is a relationship of love passed on from one generation to the next'.

PM Khan, in what is now becoming part of reception of leaders from countries having special ties with Pakistan, personally drove Mr Erdogan to the Prime Minister's House where the Turkish president was presented guard of honour at the formal welcome ceremony.

Turkish president arrives on two-day visit to bolster traditional friendship

President Erdogan and his delegation later left for the President House for a meeting with President Arif Alvi.

This is Mr Erdogan's fourth visit to Islamabad and second since assuming presidency in 2014.

The Turkish president's schedule for Friday is pretty packed. He will meet Prime Minister Khan for discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues. The two would co-chair the sixth meeting of the Pakistan-Turkey High Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), which steers the...