Turkcell CEO Meets PM Shehbaz Sharif, Explores Pakistan–Türkiye Digital Partnership

Istanbul: Chief Executive Officer of Turkcell, Ali Taha Koç, called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Istanbul on Friday to discuss expanding Pakistan–Türkiye cooperation in digital technology, telecommunications, and innovation.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral collaboration in the digital and technology sectors. He shared the government's vision of establishing a Pakistan–Türkiye Digital Corridor aimed at enhancing regional digital connectivity, facilitating secure cross-border data flows, and advancing the integration of digital infrastructure.

Highlighting Pakistan's rapidly evolving digital economy, the Prime Minister invited Turkcell to explore long-term partnerships with Pakistani institutions in key areas, including 5G deployment, network optimization, spectrum management, digital infrastructure, and technology transfer.

He also encouraged the company to consider investing in the local manufacturing of telecommunications equipment, software development, digital skills training, and capacity building, saying such collaboration would strengthen Pakistan's technology ecosystem while creating opportunities for innovation, employment, and sustainable economic growth.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to providing a transparent, predictable, and investment-friendly business environment, supported by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), to facilitate strategic investments in high-value sectors, particularly information and communication technologies.

Turkcell CEO Ali Taha Koç appreciated Pakistan's forward-looking digital transformation agenda and praised the government's efforts to improve the investment climate. He expressed Turkcell's strong interest in exploring opportunities for collaboration in telecommunications, digital infrastructure, and emerging technologies.

Koç also reaffirmed the company's commitment to working closely with relevant Pakistani stakeholders to develop mutually beneficial partnerships that would contribute to the shared economic and technological goals of Pakistan and Türkiye.

The meeting reflected the growing momentum in Pakistan–Türkiye economic cooperation, with both sides expressing optimism about expanding collaboration in the digital economy and advanced technology sectors.