ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Turkey have agreed to extend mutual support on issues of each other’s core national interest and underscored the importance of fully realising the immense potential of relationship between the two countries.
The understanding was reached at meeting between President Dr Arif Alvi and his Turkish Counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Islamabad on Thursday, reported a private news channel. They also underlined in transforming these relations into a strong and dynamic trade and economic partnership.
Welcoming the President Erdogan to Pakistan, Dr Alvi expressed gratification over the level of enhanced and multifaceted engagement between the two countries. He said that the 6th Session of High Level Strategic Cooperation Council will further strengthen and broaden the fraternal relations between Pakistan and Turkey.
Dr Alvi also apprised President Erdogan of the worsening human rights situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) and took the opportunity to thank the President Erdogan for his principled stand on Kashmir.
A warm welcome was accorded to the Turkish President and First Lady of Turkey Emine Erdogan over their arrival at the presidency. President Arif Alvi later hosted banquet in honour of the distinguished guests.
Earlier on Thursday, Erdogan was accorded a warm red-carpet welcome as he arrived on a two-day official visit. Prime Minister Imran Khan received the Turkish leader at the Nur Khan Airbase. Senior Pakistani officials as well as the Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan were also present on the occasion.
Two children, clad in traditional Pakistani costume,presented bouquet to President Erdogan and the Turkish First Lady. Contingent of static guards presented salute to the visiting dignitaries. Later, Prime Minister Imran Khan himself drove President Erdogan to the Prime Minister House for welcome ceremony.
The Turkish President was also presented a guard of honour during an official welcome ceremony held at the Prime Minister House. Upon arrival at the PM House, President Erdogan was warmly welcomed by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
President Erdogan, who was presented a salute and guard of honour by a smartly turned-out contingent of the armed forces, reviewed the guard. National anthems of the two countries were also played on the occasion.
Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Recep Rayyip Erdogan introduced their respective delegations. President of the Republic Of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan will address both Houses of Parliament assembled together today (Friday).
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be the 21st foreign dignitary who will address National Assembly/Senate joint sitting of the Parliament/Constitutional Assembly of Pakistan and 1st to the incumbent Parliament.
It will be his fourth address to the joint sitting of the Parliament as earlier he twice addressed the same sitting as Prime Minister of Turkey on October 26, 2009 and on May 21, 2012 and third one as a President of Turkey on November 17, 2017 and now it will be his second address as a President of Turkey on February 14, 2020.
Before President Erdogan, ex-president of Turkey Kenan Evren also addressed the joint sitting of both the houses of the Parliament on November 15, 1985.
The foreign dignitaries who had addressed National Assembly/Senate joint sitting Constitutional/Assembly of Pakistan includes, Emperor of Iran Muhammad Raza Pehlvi, President of Philippines Diodas Macapagal, President of Indonesia, Dr Ahmed Soekarno, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Mrs. Bandaranaike, President of Turkey, Kenan Evren, President of Palestine Yasser Arafat, Francois Mitterand, President of France, Hojjatol Islam Mehdi Karoubi, Speaker Majlis Shura-i-Islami of Iran, Ali Akbar Hashmi Rafsanjani, President of Iran, Hojjatol Islam Val Moslemin Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri, Speaker, Majlis-i-Shura-i-Islami, Islamic Republic of Iran, Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Queen Elizabeth-II to Parliament, Recep Tayyip Erdogan Prime Minister of Turkey, Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, Li Kegiang, Prime Minister of China, Xi Jingping, President of China, Recep Tayyip Erdogan President of Turkey and Joko Widido, president of republic of Indonesia.
