Turkish PM may be I-Day chief guest

ISLAMABAD: Several countries have shown interest to attend 70th Independence Day of Pakistan celebrations commencing from August 14. 

It is likely that Prime Minister of Turkey Binali Yildirimm would be the chief guest on the occasion who has accepted the invitation but the schedule is being worked out. Turkey is currently holding the chair of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and its Prime Minister has already accepted the invitation for visiting Pakistan extended by Premier Nawaz Sharif. 

The government has asked Pakistan’s ambassador in Turkey Sohail Mahmood to report headquarters for moving to New Delhi as he has already been appointed Pakistan’s high commissioner for India. Indian government has consigned agreement to Pakistan for his posting in its capital. He will be in the Indian capital for his assignment in the first week of August. The sources hinted that Sohail Mahmood will be having a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif next week here in Islamabad before proceeding to New Delhi. He will take a message from Prime Minister Nawaz for the Indian leadership wherein India would be impressed upon to halt its atrocities in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) and find ways to sort out its differences with Pakistan amicably. The incumbent high commissioner in New Delhi Abdul Basit who was aspiring for another posting in a foreign capital but the Foreign Office declined to oblige him as he was attaining superannuation in the first quarter of next year. He will be returning Islamabad next week after relinquishing the charge and will proceed on early retirement that he sought for. Pakistan’s ambassador in Hungary Syrus Sajjad Qazi has been posted as ambassador in Turkey. He has been asked to move to Ankara at the earliest, the sources said. In the meanwhile some leaders belonging to democratic countries of the world will also join people and leadership in Pakistan next month in celebrations of the Independence Day as the government is making elaborate arrangements for commemorating the day and the celebrations will continue for the whole year, the sources added.