Pakistani, Turkish bodies meet to discuss uplift projects

PESHAWAR: Leaders from the Pakistan Development Foundation (PDF) and Turkiye’s aid organisation TiKA held a meeting to discuss humanitarian activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Mehmet Pekachi.

A three-member delegation from PDF engaged in discussions with Ambassador Dr Mehmet Pekachi and TiKA’s Country Director Mohsin Balchi to explore projects aimed at the sustainable development of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The delegation included PDF Chairman Muhammad Bilal Sethi, chief patron Prof Dr Qibla Ayaz, and executive member Khurshid Khan.

At the outset of the meeting, the delegation members extended congratulations to Dr Mehmet Pekachi for his appointment as the special envoy for countering Islamophobia by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Bilal Sethi apprised the Turkish leadership of the current economic challenges in Pakistan, highlighting the growing frustration among youth due to a lack of suitable job opportunities.He stressed the need for organisations like TiKA to support youth empowerment by providing skill-based training and facilitating the establishment of small businesses.

Bilal Sethi suggested training programmes in various fields such as cooking, baking, personality grooming, beauty clinics, textile designing, information technology, and digital marketing.

Mohsin Balchi, TiKA’s country director, provided the delegation with a comprehensive overview of the organisation’s ongoing projects. However, Ambassador Pekachi reaffirmed his commitment to collaborating with PDF to implement projects that enable people, particularly youth, to become self-reliant.

He underscored the deep-rooted relationship between the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Turkiye, noting the support extended by the former during Turkiye’s revolution. Ambassador Pekachi expressed gratitude, stating that the name of Abdul Rahman Peshawari is held dear by every Turkish individual.Prof Dr Qibla Ayaz and Khurshid Khan also conveyed their appreciation to the people of Turkiye for their assistance during challenging times.