Turkey reiterates support against FATF challenge

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday reiterated his country's support to Pakistan in Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as well as in resolution of Kashmir issue "on a just and equitable basis rather than through conflict and oppression".

President Erdogan who visited Pakistan from February 13-14, addressed the joint sitting of the parliament for a record fourth time, in which he reaffirmed Turkey's continued support to Pakistan in the FATF ahead of its crucial plenary in Paris, which will decide the country's fate on possibility of exclusion from its grey list.

The address to the joint sitting, which received a thumping welcome from members of the two houses was witnessed by Islamabad-based foreign diplomats, the visiting delegation accompanying the Turkish president, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJSC) General Nadeem Raza, Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, among others.

However, Chief of Army Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa did not attend the joint sitting of the parliament.

"We will continue to stand by Pakistan in the future, as in the past. In this context, I would like to emphasize that we will support Pakistan, which is intended to be put under political pressure at the Financial Action Task Force meetings," President Erdogan said.

Speaking about the Kashmir issue, he said that Turkey once again demonstrated its sensitivity in the matter by defending Kashmir at the 74th United Nations General Assembly.

"We see that the problems that our brothers in Kashmir have been suffering for decades have become more severe with unilateral steps taken recently," President Erdogan said, while referring to the Indian government's August 5, 2019 illegal and unilateral steps.

"This approach, which aggravates the current situation and revokes the freedom and vested rights of the Kashmiri people, does not bring any benefit for anyone," he continued.

Erdogan said that Kashmir issue could be resolved only on a just and equitable basis rather than through conflict and oppression.

"Such a solution will serve for the benefit of all parties...Turkey will continue to stand on the side of justice, peace and solution through dialogue concerning the Kashmir dispute," he added.

Erdogan said resolution of Kashmir dispute lied not in oppressive tactics but it warranted justice.

"We feel for the Kashmiris the same way, the Muslims of this region felt for us during the Khilafat Movement," he said.

Quoting a poem by Allama Iqbal, Erdogan said: "Yes, like the poet, people in Lahore Square burst into tears with these moving words...We have never forgotten and will not forget the help, which the Pakistani people delivered, during our War of Independence by piling up their own bread."

He stated this in reference to the Gallipoli campaign, which is also known as the Battle of Çanakkale during the First World War that took place in what is modern day Turkey

"Events that happened many years ago in Çanakkale in Turkey are being repeated in Indian occupied Kashmir and Turkey will continue to raise its voice against the oppression," Erdogan vowed.

President Erdogan expressed his satisfaction that Pakistan was moving forward on the path of progress and prosperity, adding that he was confident that Pakistan would soon realize the fruits of development.

"We will collectively move forward to enhance our economic partnership. This friendship is not based on any interest but purely love and affection," he asserted.

Erdogan said Pakistan and Turkey enjoyed everlasting friendship, which was an example for the whole world.

"This partnership and cooperation will always stay intact," he added.

"Here, in Pakistan, we never consider ourselves as strangers. We feel ourselves at home, in the one of the most important meeting points in Asia, in the fertile geography of the Islamic world," Erdogan said.

He said that fraternal ties between Turkey and Pakistan had been granted to very few countries and nations of the world, adding that the much-envied Turkey-Pakistan brotherhood today is a true brotherhood, strengthened by history and reinforced by historical events.

"Undoubtedly, economic development is not an incident that will occur from today to tomorrow...I believe that the endeavours exerted by Pakistan in cooperation with the legislative, executive, judicial and military institutions will bear fruit in a short time," Erdogan said, adding that the steps based on improving the business and investment environment render Pakistan a more attractive country in the eyes of investors.

He pointed that the Strategic Economic Framework and Action Plan documents that were going to be signed would served as the roadmap in wide ranging areas from trade to infrastructure and from investment to tourism.

"We will carry our economic relations to the level it deserves by joining hands of 210 million people in Pakistan with the 83 million people in Turkey."

He lauded Pakistan's efforts in the fight against terrorism.

He said that Pakistan had suffered a lot from the instabilities in the region, terrorism and the conflicts.

"As a country combating against separatist terrorism for 35 years and being at the target of the most violent organizations of the world from Daesh, PKK [Kurdistan Workers' Party] to FETO [Gulen movement], we very well understand the challenges that Pakistan encounters. We will continue to support Pakistan in its fight against terrorism," he added.

Erdogan pointed out that the Islamic world was facing serious problems from terrorism to conflicts, sectarianism to hunger and poverty, adding that Pakistan and Turkey were the primary countries, which were mostly affected from these crises due to their geographical positions.

Expressing his love for the people of Pakistan, he said: "Our friendship derives not from benefit, but from love. We consider the pain of Pakistan as our pain, their joy as our joy and their success as our own success".

He also referred to the July 15th 2016 failed coup against his government, saying: "We felt the prayers of the people of Pakistan with us after the treacherous coup attempt of July 15th, 2016 when 251 people were martyred".

"Pakistani authorities displayed that they are a true friend of our nation by transferring the schools belonging to FETO to Turkish Maarif Foundation.

We received a very strong support from the State of Pakistan and its people to the Peace Spring Operation, which we launched in the North of Syria in October," he added.

President Erdogan further said that his country extended full support to Pakistan during floods and other calamities, adding that Pakistan also proved to be a true friend during difficult times on Turkey.

He also spoke at length on the historic relations between Pakistan and Turkey, saying that the people of Turkey can never forget the wholehearted support extended by the people of this region during the Khilafat Movement.

Referring to differences within the Muslim world, Erdogan said that Turkey endeavours to eliminate the differences between the Ummah, to find a solution to the disputes and to claim our righteous causes, especially Palestine, Cyprus and Kashmir.

He said that the primary goal of Turkey in the conflict areas from Libya to Yemen was to stop blood, destruction and tears.

"We have been actively engaged in all matters concerning the Muslim Ummah especially during our presidency of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. We took an honourable and determined stance against the attacks of Israel on our first Qibla, Al-Quds Al-Sharif," he said.

"We declared to the whole world that we would not leave Haram Al-Sharif at the mercy of the occupying Israeli administration by saying "Jerusalem is our red line". Again, we had the strongest reaction against the occupation, annexation and destruction plan announced by the American administration in the past weeks under the name of the "deal of the century", he added.

The Turkish president also appreciated Pakistan's positive contribution to Afghanistan's peace process, adding that Turkey provides support, as necessary, during this process to Pakistan and Afghanistan, who are both brotherly countries for them.

Earlier in his welcome address, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser paid glowing tributes to the visionary leadership of President Erdogan.

He said the entire Pakistani nation salutes the categorical stance taken by the Turkish president on the Kashmir dispute.

He expressed the confidence that the visit of President Erdogan would open new vistas of cooperation between the two countries. Later, Turkish President Erdogan offered Friday prayer along with President Dr Arif Alvi at Aiwan-e-Sadr. He was earlier scheduled to offer the Friday prayers at the Faisal Mosque. However, the plan was cancelled as the security could not be cleared by the security agencies, sources said.