ISTANBUL: The commissioning of the High Level Cooperation Council (HLCC) will enable the leaders of Pakistan and Turkey to take important decisions to boost ties in all areas, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Wednesday.
Gilani said the two governments had committed to ensuring practical implementation of the 17 memorandums of understanding signed during his three-day visit. After addressing the Turkish business community, Gilani said the Pak-Turkey ties were unique in nature and the two countries were cooperating in all areas including trade, economy and defence.
He said he offered Turkish businessmen to invest in agriculture, housing, energy and infrastructure development in Pakistan and hoped the private sectors of the two countries would engage deeply with each other. He said the HLCC would serve as a cabinet for the heads of government of the two countries.
On the other hand, Turkey’s prestigious Marmara University awarded an honorary doctorate degree in journalism to Gilani. Marmara University Rector Professor Dr Zafer Gul awarded the degree to the prime minister.
After receiving the degree, Gilani said it was an honour for him and said he was delighted to be included in the list of luminaries who had been awarded honorary doctorates by the great institution. “My joy at receiving this honour has increased manifold since I came to know that this university is also the alma mater of my brother, Prime Minister Erdogan,” he said.
Later, a group of Marmara University professors and students of the Music Department played live orchestra to the tunes of Turkish and Pakistani music.
