Pakistan Military Chief Asim Munir Visits Türkiye for Defense Talks

Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff, conducted a two-day official visit to Ankara, Türkiye, from July 13 to 14, 2026. The visit focused on strengthening strategic and defense partnerships, including ongoing cooperation on F-16 upgrades and the construction of corvette warships, as both nations aim to expand bilateral trade to $5 billion.

Munir held high-level meetings with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Minister of National Defence Yasar Guler to discuss regional security. During a visit to the Turkish General Staff headquarters, Chief of the Turkish General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu awarded Munir the Turkish Armed Forces Distinguished Service Medal. Munir also met with Land Forces Commander General Metin Tokel and paid respects at the Anıtkabir mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

The diplomatic engagement occurred as Pakistan continues to act as an intermediary in negotiations between the United States and Iran amid large-scale attacks in the Middle East. While Pakistani officials previously mentioned a draft defense agreement involving Saudi Arabia, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan clarified that no such tripartite pact has been signed.