Pakistan’s Supreme Court (SC) on Monday entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Turkiye’s Constitutional Court to enhance judicial cooperation, in a ceremony held in Islamabad.

The development comes as a delegation from Türkiye’s Constitutional Court, headed by its president Kadir Özkaya, arrived in Pakistan for a visit scheduled from April 6 to 9, the apex court said in a statement issued earlier.


Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi and Özkaya attended the signing ceremony.

Speaking at the event, CJP Afridi said that the agreement would “provide a forward-looking framework for collaboration between the two judiciaries”.

“One that emphasises the exchange of judicial knowledge and best practices, the promotion of comparative constitutional jurisprudence, strengthening of institutional linkages and the advancement of capacity building through joint programmes, research, and judicial exchanges,” he added.

He pointed out that a joint working group, consisting of judges from the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) and the Supreme Court, would be established under the agreement, which “will ensure our cooperation remains active […] rather than remaining symbolic”.

Referring to the visiting delegation, the CJ said that the visit reflected the “enduring, historic, fraternal relationship between Pakistan and Turkiye one that – transcends formal diplomacy”.

He stated that the MoU was not merely a “simple document of cooperation between courts, but it also represents our shared vision and resolve to strengthen constitutional governance, uphold the rule of law, ensure judicial independence and protect fundamental rights”.

Justice Afridi observed that courts cannot operate in isolation, adding that “common challenges such as rapid technological change, evolving understanding of rights, and complex constitutional questions require us to engage in global judicial conversation”.

He also expressed hope that the MoU would pave the way for deeper understanding, meaningful exchanges, and a lasting partnership between our two judiciaries.

According to the Supreme Court, the cooperation is expected to focus on professional development, particularly at the district judiciary level, through joint training programmes, academic exchanges and exposure to comparative judicial practices.

The statement added that the collaboration would also help in integrating modern technology into judicial processes to improve efficiency, transparency and access to justice.

During the visit, the delegation is expected to hold meetings and engage with stakeholders from across the justice sector.