Turkey, Pakistan free trade deal to be ready in December

A free trade agreement between Turkey and Pakistan will be ready to be signed in December, according to Ankara's ambassador to Islamabad. 

Ambassador Sadık Babür Girgin said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will arrive in Pakistan on Nov. 16 for a two-day visit, during which bilateral relations will be discussed and a business forum between Turkey and Pakistan is planned.

Girgin stated that the free trade pact will be ready for signing next month, adding that it will "not only be for trade. It will also include services and investments."

He also said Turkey is planning to invest in Pakistan in the fields of solar and wind power.      
 
Separately, Girgin stated that Ankara has always favored a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

Kashmir, a Muslim-majority Himalayan region, is held by India and Pakistan in parts and claimed by both in full.

 The two countries have fought three wars - in 1948, 1965 and 1971 - since they were partitioned in 1947.

Since 1989, Kashmiri groups have been fighting in Indian-held Kashmir against Indian rule for independence, or for unification with neighboring Pakistan.