Turkish envoy holds function to mark Turkey’s 94th anniversary 

Islamabad: Turkish Ambassador for Pakistan Sadiq Babur Girgin has reminded by quoting his president that the Republic of Turkey “signifies the rearing and rebirth of a noble nation from its ashes that prefer to die instead of making compromises from its liberty and honour as the nation “proclaimed, with its blood and spirit, to the whole world that its will could not be fettered and no one could intervene in its fate.” 

Addressing a large dinner-reception at his residence in Diplomatic Enclave on Monday on the occasion of his country’s 94th anniversary, the ambassador who would be completing his fourth year in Islamabad next month, second longest serving envoy of Turkey said that Turk nation celebrates “a very important milestone in our glorious history as the Turkish nation. I commemorate with gratitude and blessing all our veterans, particularly Ghazi Mustafa Kemal, the founder of our Republic and triumphant commander of our War of Liberation,” he also said, referring to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.

The ambassador maintained through the quotes that the ones rushing into Anatolia to loot the inheritance of the Ottoman Empire whom they named ‘Sick Man’ were devastated by the courage, determination and fight that Turkish nation revealed and ‘they went back as they came,’ just as in the words of Ghazi Mustafa Kemal.

In his message, Erdogan said that the spirit that attained victory in 1923 is still alive today, while commemorating the 250 people killed while resisting the failed July 15, 2016, coup attempt, widely believed to have been masterminded by the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO). “The glorious resistance against July 15 treachery at the cost of 250 martyrs and 2193 veterans is the indication of this spirit. That night, all members of the Turkish nation including the young or the old and the women or the men have protected the gains of the Republic. We are proud of being a member of such a noble and heroic nation who has the “character of independence,” Erdogan added.

The envoy told the guests that the president also had said that they work day and night to serve our country in the best way without any distinction, with the motto of ‘There is no lordship, there is service to the nation. “In the last 15 years, the historical reforms we have realised in all areas from democracy to freedom, from trade to investment, from health to foreign policy are the most obvious manifestations of this will. Today, the gate of hope for all the oppressed people and victims in the world is Turkey,” he said. “We carry on towards our 2023 goals by fighting against the headlines, conspiracies, pawns that are continuously thrown at us.”

Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif who returned from a whirlwind visit of Saudi Arabia in the wee hours of the day was the chief guest who performed cake cutting after playing of anthems of the two countries.

Chairman Kashmir Committee of the Parliament Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Deputy Chairman Senate Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, Federal Minister General Abdul Qadir Baloch, former Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub Khan, Mayor Islamabad Ansar Aziz Sheikh, Chief of Protocol Sahibzada Ahmad Khan, former Naval Chief Admiral Muhammad Zaka, and Faisal Mushtaq of Roots were conspicuous among the guests.

The guests were kept discussing political situation prevailing in the country. Most of the guests were of the view that Pakistan’s development and especially China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been targeted through recent actions. The guests were sympathetic towards Nawaz Sharif and his family who are being victimised in the name of justice.