Field Marsha Hafiz Asim Munir Visits Turkiye: Pakistan-Turkiye Strategic Relations at a New Height
Dr. Syed Mehboob
Senior Business and Political Analyst
http//: www.thenewslark.com
Email:[email protected]
Pakistan-Türkiye friendship cannot be described in words; it can be felt, observed, and, Alhamdulillah, the journey of this historical, deep-rooted, time-tested, evergreen friendship is moving towards new heights. Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif visited Türkiye on July 3-4, 2026, and Field Marshal Hafiz Syed Asim Munir visited Türkiye on 13-14 July 2026. These two visits have enormous strategic importance, and both countries' strategic relations are at new heights.
Pakistan Army Chief’s recent visit to Türkiye has been given very importance by analysts. This visit aimed at further strengthening strategic and defence ties between the two brother countries. During his recent visit, Field Marshal Hafiz Syed Asim Munir met with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Defence Minister Yasar Guler to discuss matters of mutual interest and regional security. These discussions highlighted and underscored a shared vision to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries amid an evolving geopolitical environment. At the Turkish General Staff Headquarters, the Field Marshal received a smart guard of honour before holding talks with the Chief of the Turkish General Staff, General Selçuk Bayraktaroglu, on regional security and professional matters of mutual interest.
General Bayraktaroglu awarded the Field Marshal the Turkish Armed Forces Distinguished Service Medal in recognition of his services and commitment to strengthening bilateral military cooperation. Field Marshal also visited the Turkish Land Forces Headquarters, where he was warmly welcomed by the Commander of the Turkish Land Forces, General Metin Tokel. He later visited Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kamal Ataturk, where he laid a floral wreath and paid tribute to the founder of modern Türkiye. The visit reflected the commitment of both brother countries to further strengthen their defence relationship and continue joint efforts for regional peace and stability.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received the Field Marshal at Ankara Airport, which reflects the warmth of ties and relations between the two countries.
Turkish Armed Forces Medal of Distinguished Service is an award which has been given to a person who rendered highly valuable services. This award was first started on July 27, 1967 and took its current form on July 27, 1983. Five large and five small stars on a dark blue background circling an insignia of a crescent moon and a star on a red background, the symbol of the Turkish flag, pointing upward. It is made of eight pieces. Its weight is 54 grams, and its diameter is six centimeters.
During war or peace, it is bestowed upon individuals whose contributions to the strengthening of the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) have been extraordinarily high. In other words, it is awarded to any individual who has served national interests with exemplary determination and has contributed greatly to the prestige and strength of the TAF. This encompasses any military, scientific, material or administrative contribution, in or outside the territory of Türkiye, that has been greater than that of any of that person's predecessors thanks to his/her great courage and self-sacrifice. Field Marshal Hafiz Syed Asim Munir received this medal in recognition of his meritorious services in contributing significantly to enhancing Pakistan and Turkish armed forces' cooperation and strengthening defence ties.
It is interesting to note that last month the Turkish Land Forces General Metin Tokel visited Pakistan and met with Field Marshal Hafiz Syed Munir. The two had discussed regional security dynamics and avenues for enhanced bilateral defence cooperation. General Tokel also met with the naval and air chiefs during the visit. Army Chief Asim Munir held a closed-door, one-on-one meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Ankara Airport, attended by Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, Chief of the Turkish General Staff Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, and National Intelligence Organization Director Ibrahim Kalim.
The visit came days after Türkiye hosted the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, where allies signed defence commitments valued at more than US$ 100 billion, and the host country featured prominently in the alliance’s push to expand industrial capacity. Turkish officials characterized Munir’s talks as a reflection of the deepening defence relationship between the two countries.
Pakistan and Türkiye have built one of their closest defence relationship in recent years, centred on naval construction, military training and defence manufacturing. Under a 2018 agreement, ASFAT is building four MILGEM corvettes for the Pakistan Navy – two in Istanbul and two at Karachi Shipyard under a technology-transfer arrangement.
The two navies also hold regular joint exercises and have expanded cooperation into aerospace and unmanned systems. Beyond bilateral programs, the two sides have explored a draft trilateral defence agreement involving Saudi Arabia, an arrangement that would tie the relationship into wider Gulf security cooperation.
Munir has taken a prominent role in Pakistan’s regional diplomacy over recent months, making repeated trips to Iran as Pakistan mediated between Iran and America and joining high-level US–Iran negotiations in Switzerland in June. A week before travelling to Ankara, he was in Iran to attend the funeral of the country’s late supreme leader alongside Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Islamabad has coordinated with Türkiye, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and other partners on efforts to contain wider instability in the Middle East. The Türkiye visit reflects Pakistan’s continued push to maintain close defence ties with Türkiye – sustaining joint exercises and training, drawing on the Turkish industry for accessible NATO-standard solutions, and positioning both sides for potential collaboration on next-generation programs.
Pakistan and Türkiye share a deeply rooted defense partnership encompassing joint military exercises, personnel training, and aerospace collaboration. Key areas of cooperation include upgrading Pakistan’s attack submarine fleet and the construction of MILGEM corvettes for the Pakistan Navy. Bilateral ties remain highly active, with ongoing official exchanges—including the Pakistan Army Chief's high-level visit to Ankara—continuously deepening strategic convergence and regional security coordination.
Through a landmark technology-transfer agreement, the two nations have been building four MILGEM-class corvettes. Two of these warships were constructed in Istanbul and two at the Karachi Shipyard. Both air forces conduct regular joint exercises (such as the Indus Viper series) and have expanded their cooperation into aerospace and drone technology.
Turkish defense firms have been awarded contracts to upgrade and modernize the Pakistan Navy's Agosta-90B diesel-electric attack submarine fleet.
Bilateral visits remain frequent to align regional security goals. Following visits between the countries' top military and naval commanders, Türkiye reaffirmed its commitment to joint training and capacity-building initiatives.
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