Islamabad, The Europe Today: Islamabad will host the sixth meeting of the Joint Turkmenistan-Pakistan Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation on November 17. Both countries are preparing to deepen ties in trade, energy, transport and other strategic sectors. A high-level delegation from Turkmenistan will travel to Pakistan for the meeting. President Serdar Berdimuhamedov has signed a resolution approving the members of the commission’s Turkmen side, according to Turkmen state media.
Ashgabat Steps Up Preparations for the Turkmenistan-Pakistan Intergovernmental Commission
The preparations were reviewed on Friday at an online meeting of Turkmenistan’s Cabinet of Ministers. Rashid Meredov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Minister, reported on plans for the delegation’s official visit to Islamabad.
Before the main session, joint working groups from both countries met by video link from November 7 to 11. They covered six key areas:
Trade relations
The oil and gas industry
Industry
Agriculture and food security
Transport
Science and education
Under the agenda, the commission will discuss how to develop bilateral cooperation further in all six areas. Several documents are expected to be signed after the meeting, which could create new openings for trade and investment between Ashgabat and Islamabad.
President Berdimuhamedov Orders Thorough Preparations
After hearing Meredov’s report, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov stressed that the commission meeting must be well prepared and run in an orderly way. He signed the documents submitted to him and told the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to carry out the necessary work.
The President’s direct involvement shows how much weight Ashgabat gives to its partnership with Islamabad. Both countries want stronger economic ties across Central and South Asia.
Turkmen Delegation to Attend the 30th ECO Council of Foreign Ministers
The visit also includes the 30th meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), set for November 15–16 in Islamabad. The Turkmen delegation will take part.
The ECO meeting will focus on multilateral cooperation in trade, transport and energy. Two major documents are expected to be adopted at its close: the Islamabad Declaration and a document titled “Strategic Objectives of Economic Cooperation – 2035”. These are likely to shape the ECO region’s economic direction for the next decade.
Why This Turkmenistan-Pakistan Meeting Matters
The two events together make Islamabad a centre of regional economic diplomacy this week. Turkmenistan has some of the world’s largest natural gas reserves. Pakistan offers a strategic gateway to the Arabian Sea and South Asian markets. Their cooperation in energy, connectivity and trade carries significance well beyond their bilateral relationship.
Working groups from both sides have already done the groundwork, and new agreements are expected. The sixth session of the Turkmenistan-Pakistan Intergovernmental Commission could be an important step for economic cooperation, food security and regional connectivity between Central Asia and South Asia.
