President confers Nishan-i-Imtiaz on Turkish CGS

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday conferred the Nishan-i-Imtiaz (Military) award on Chief of Turkish General Staff, General Metin Gurak, in recognition of his illustrious services and contribution to strengthening Pakistan-Turkiye defence relations.

The award was conferred at a special investiture ceremony held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Friday and attended by services chiefs and parliamentarians.

Chief of Turkish General Staff, General Metin Gurak, along with his delegation, called on the president at Aiwan-e-Sadr. Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, and Ambassador of Turkiye to Pakistan, Dr Mehmet Pacaci, also attended the meeting.

During a meeting with Chief of Turkish General Staff, General Metin Gurak, President Asif Ali Zardari called for enhancing road and railway connectivity between Pakistan and Turkiye to further promote people-to-people contacts between the two brotherly countries.

He said that overland transport was cost-effective, which would not only lead to increased interactions between the two nations but also enhance bilateral economic ties.

Welcoming the delegation, President Asif Ali Zardari said that Pakistan was committed to further deepening mutually beneficial cooperation with Turkiye in all areas of common interest.

He urged the need to increase bilateral cultural exchanges, particularly in the areas of literature and poetry, to bring the people of two countries further closer.

The president highlighted that Turkiye was a sincere friend of Pakistan and both the countries had enjoyed deep fraternal ties, which needed to be further strengthened for the mutual benefit of the two sides.

He expressed satisfaction over the existing level of bilateral cooperation between the two countries, adding that Pakistan-Turkiye relations were on an upward trajectory marked by increased high-level exchanges.