ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President, Shehbaz Sharif, on Tuesday met Turkey's Ambassador to Pakistan Ihsan Mustafa Yardakul and discussed issues of mutual interest.

"Turkey's Ambassador to Pakistan Ihsan Mustafa Yardakul called on the PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Tuesday," according to a statement issued by the PML-N spokesperson, Marriyum Aurangzeb, adding that the two discussed at length the bilateral and other issues of mutual interests during the meeting.

During the meeting, she said that Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan and Turkey were inseparable brotherly countries that were important partners in the development of Muslim world's unity, interests and strength.

"The unity and solidarity of the Muslim Ummah is a critical need of the hour," Shahbaz said, adding that the enemies of Islam and Islamic world wanted to create rifts among Muslim countries to entangle them in conflicts among themselves.

She said that Shehbaz conveyed his good wishes for Turkey's President Recip Tayyip Erdogan. "Turkey is an important country of the Islamic world and Pakistan holds it dear like a brotherly country," Shehbaz said, adding that President Erdogan extended his valuable support for development projects in Pakistan, especially in Punjab.

He stated that President Erdogan's policies and reforms had given a new face to Turkey. The spokesperson further stated that Ambassador Yardakul congratulated the PML-N president on his complete recovery from the coronavirus. "Pakistan is like a second home for Turks. The two countries are inseparable," the Turkish envoy was quoted as having said.

"He praised Shehbaz for expediting the progress and development of Punjab as the chief minister of the province. The Turkish envoy appreciated the increase in cooperation between the two countries during Shehbaz's time as the CM," the PML-N spokesperson further maintained.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020