Pakistan-Turkey Kick-start Joint Defence Exhibition in Islamabad

Pakistan is hosting the Turkish defence exhibition dubbed "5th Defence Port Turkey" for the first time on its soil, at the Pakistan-China Friendship Center in Islamabad.

The three-day event, inaugurated on Thursday, will see military equipment including ammunition, artillery, tanks, heavy-duty trucks, tanks displayed by both countries. Islamabad and Ankara have set up 24 stalls each.

Speaking on the occasion Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Khan Swati said the exhibition shows historical, cultural and brotherly relations between Pakistan and Turkey, Daily Pakistan reported.

He said China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would not only prove a game-changer for the entire region but also set to provide investment opportunities to Turkish investors.

The development comes a day after India cut down its defence exports to Turkey, including explosives and detonators, due to Ankara's growing military cooperation with Islamabad, writes India's Economic Times.

Last week, Ankara backed Islamabad at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in France, thereby helping Pakistan to avoid being blacklisted by the global anti-money laundering watchdog.

On hearing the turkish president's call for india pakistan dialogue over the disputed Kashmir region, India responded by calling the suggestion "unwanted and biased" and informed Ankara to get a better understanding of the issue which was an internal matter between India and Pakistan.