A reported rise in military air traffic from China and Türkiye to Pakistan has triggered fresh speculation about possible defence equipment transfers to Islamabad. Security sources cited in a News18 report said heavy military transport aircraft made multiple trips to Pakistani airbases over roughly 60 hours, describing the activity as unusual.
According to the report, Chinese military transport aircraft were seen landing at Nur Khan airbase near Rawalpindi and Masroor airbase in Karachi. Turkish military transport aircraft were also reportedly involved in the increased activity.
A senior security source was reported to have claimed the flights were being used to transport military equipment, including drones and other defence-related matériel. However, the specific nature of the equipment allegedly moved has not been independently confirmed.
The reported air movements come as Pakistan continues to deepen its defence partnerships with China and Türkiye, both major military suppliers and strategic partners.
Defence cooperation between Beijing and Islamabad has gained further prominence since last year’s India-Pakistan military confrontation. China had acknowledged that personnel from its aviation industry provided technical assistance to Pakistan during the conflict, the report said.
Pakistan has also increased its use of Chinese-origin fighter aircraft, air-defence systems and drones. Against this backdrop, the latest reported transport flights could potentially be linked to the delivery or replenishment of military equipment, if the security-source claims are eventually confirmed.
Türkiye has increasingly emerged as another key defence partner for Pakistan, with cooperation covering drones, naval systems, aerospace technology and other military platforms.
Pakistan’s air chief held high-level meetings in Türkiye in May, with discussions reportedly focusing on defence cooperation, aerospace development, unmanned systems and emerging technologies.
The two countries have also been expanding cooperation in fighter-aircraft development. Turkish officials recently said nearly 200 Pakistani engineers and officials were involved in the development of Türkiye’s KAAN fifth-generation fighter programme, while Ankara indicated that discussions could begin on formally bringing Pakistan into the project.
The reported participation of Turkish military transport aircraft in the recent air activity could therefore add another dimension to the growing defence relationship between Ankara and Islamabad.
The reported airlift also comes shortly after Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7.
The pact states that an armed attack against one of the three countries would be treated as an attack against all three. The signatories have described the agreement as defensive and said it is not aimed at any particular country.
In this context, sustained military transport activity involving China, Türkiye and Pakistan is likely to attract attention, particularly if it is found to involve drones, weapons or other military equipment.
