Türkiye's intel chief visits Pakistan for security talks

Türkiye's National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Ibrahim Kalin met with Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Inter-Services Intelligence chief Asim Malik during his visit to Islamabad, Turkish security sources said on Thursday. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also received Kalin, who traveled to Pakistan following a trip to Afghanistan.

The discussions addressed the current state of Türkiye-Pakistan relations and opportunities for further cooperation, alongside regional and global developments affecting both nations.

Regional security agenda

The officials examined the security landscape that has emerged in the Middle East since the beginning of the US-Israel war with Iran, assessing the conflict's political, security, and economic repercussions for regional countries and the risk of the fighting spreading to other areas. They also reviewed recent tensions between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, highlighting the importance of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement in providing common ground among parties as part of efforts to restore regional stability.

Counterterrorism and Afghanistan

Türkiye and Pakistan agreed to further strengthen their existing high-level cooperation in the security and intelligence fields, with Ankara reaffirming its support for Islamabad's fight against terrorism and efforts to enhance counterterrorism capacity. The Turkish side stressed that it would continue working to help resolve tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan through dialogue, noting the strategic roles both countries can play in reducing regional tensions. Kalin's Islamabad meetings followed talks he held in Kabul and Kandahar with senior Afghan officials.