ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has said that Pakistan highly values its ties with Turkey as both the countries enjoy excellent relations based on religious and cultural linkages, besides unanimity of views on regional and international issues.
He stated that bilateral relations between the two countries had transformed into a strong strategic partnership over the years and would continue to grow further.
The president made these remarks, while talking to the visiting speaker of Grand National Assembly of Turkey (GNAT), Dr Mustafa Sentop, who called on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Tuesday.
Welcoming the speaker, the president said that Pak-Turkey relations had been institutionalized in the form of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC).
He informed that the HLSCC had been instrumental in upgrading bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries in an institutionalised, well-structure and coherent manner.
He highlighted that the visit of the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to Islamabad in February 2020, was a manifestation of joint desire to transform bilateral relations into a strategic partnership.
The president underscored the need for enhanced political and economic cooperation between the two countries for the mutual benefits of the two sides.
Expressing his gratitude to Turkey for its steadfast support on Kashmir, the president said that the people of Pakistan were highly grateful to the leadership of Turkey for supporting Pakistan’s principled stance on Kashmir at all international fora.
He also acknowledged that Turkey had been at the forefront of leading the global efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic by providing support and assistance to countries including Pakistan.
Speaker GNAT conveyed his sincere greetings of the leadership and the people of Turkey to the government and the people of Pakistan.
He said that his country would continue to support Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir.
He referred to the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s address at the United Nations General Assembly and the joint session of the Pakistani Parliament, where he raised his voice in support of the Kashmiri people.
He added that the support of the Turkish leadership on Kashmir was a manifestation of close fraternal ties between the two countries.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021