Islamabad, February 15, 2020 (PPI-OT):Prime Minister Imran Imran Khan said people had greatly liked President Erdogan’s speech during a joint session of the parliament and reiterated that if the Turkish leader fought an election from Pakistan, he would do a “clean sweep”. The Premier said this while addressing a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the two countries signed 13 memorandums of understandings for cooperation in various areas.
He thanked Erdogan on the country’s behalf for speaking up against Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir. He noted that at least eight million Kashmiris have been under Indian siege for over six months, while Kashmiri leaders have been put in jail. “They have no rights … they are living in fear,” he added. The premier reiterated that Kashmir is a disputed territory according to United Nations resolutions.
He said the Pakistan Turkey trade relationship will see a new era with the signing of MoUs for strategic economic cooperation. Through timelines, the cooperation being carried out between Pakistan and Turkey will benefit both the countries, he added.
Prime Minister Imran said Pakistan backs Turkey regarding its issues with terrorism emanating from the Syria border. He noted that besides Kashmir, Turkey had supported Pakistan on the issue of the Financial Action Task Force as well, adding that the two countries “stand together” when it comes to strategic international issues. “Our cooperation apart from politics and economy […] is necessary because they (Turkey) have an advanced film industry. We want to develop content with them to address Islamophobia so that we can take a stand against the incorrect portrayal of Muslims,” the premier said. President Erdogan in his speech said with his ongoing trip, he had the pleasure of visiting Pakistan after three years again. He said he saw the country as “our second home”.
“The mere fact that we have signed 13 agreements between the two countries is the most important indicator of how important relations between [the two countries] are,” Erdogan said. Erdogan said Turkey was ready to provide all the support that it can in the fields of transportation, energy, tourism, healthcare, education, and law enforcement – areas which he noted will help in the social and economic development of Pakistan. “I am also confident that the prime minister is not going to spare any efforts in order to improve the business climate in Pakistan,” he said, adding that Turkey is standing next to Pakistan today, as it did in the past and will do in the future.
He said the support messages and condolences conveyed by Pakistanis, from the president to the ordinary people in the street, in the aftermath of the earthquake in Elazig city of Turkey is “an example that shows the affection between the people of the two countries”. He said Turkey has received “strong support” from the Pakistani state and people regarding its military operations that it conducted in October in northern Syria. “Our cooperations within the field of military and defence are the most dynamic fields of our bilateral relations. I would like everyone to know that we are ready to contribute in any way in order to enhance relations with Pakistan and Afghanistan which are both brotherly nations to us,” the president stressed.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran and President Erdogan witnessed the signing of 13 MoUs by officials representing both the countries. The ceremony came after the conclusion of the plenary session of the 6th round of Pakistan-Turkey High Level Strategic Cooperation Council in Islamabad. According to state b roadcaste r PTV, the MoUs signed between the two countries concern cooperation in the fields of tourism and culture, food security, postal services, railways, military training, trade, transport and infrastructure, information technology, etc. An agreement was also signed for cooperation between the state-owned Turkish Radio and Television corporation and PTV and Radio Pakistan.
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