Rawalpindi, June 11, 2026: Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Syed Asim Munir on Thursday held discussions on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation during a meeting with the commander of the Turkish Land Forces, Metin Tokel, at the General Headquarters (GHQ), according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
In a statement, the military’s media wing said that General Tokel called on Field Marshal Munir at GHQ, where both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual professional interest, evolving regional security dynamics, and opportunities for expanding defence collaboration between Pakistan and Türkiye.
CDF Munir underscored the “deep-rooted historical, cultural and strategic ties” between the two countries and appreciated the longstanding defence partnership between their armed forces.
Upon arrival at GHQ, the visiting Turkish commander was presented with a “smartly turned-out” guard of honour by a Pakistan Army contingent, ISPR said.
During his visit, General Tokel also held separate meetings with Pakistan’s naval and air leadership.
At the Naval Headquarters in Islamabad, he met Naveed Ashraf, where discussions focused on professional matters and the regional maritime security environment.
He later called on Chief of Air Staff Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu at the Air Headquarters. According to ISPR, the meeting centred on bilateral military cooperation and areas of shared professional interest.
The Turkish military commander, during his engagements, praised the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces and acknowledged their contributions to regional peace and stability.
He also expressed commitment to further strengthening institutional linkages and expanding defence cooperation between the two “brotherly nations,” the ISPR statement added.
Earlier this week, CDF Munir also held meetings with senior military leadership from Bahrain and Lebanon, including Bahrain National Guard commander General Shaikh Mohammad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa and Lebanese Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief General Rodolphe Haykal.
During those meetings, discussions focused on enhancing military-to-military relations and expanding cooperation in training, defence collaboration and regional security matters.
Pakistan’s military leadership has recently intensified high-level engagements with regional partners, reflecting an ongoing effort to deepen defence diplomacy and strengthen security coordination across multiple theatres.
