Turkish Ambassador Babur Hizlan on Wednesday called on National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq at the Parliament House.
He congratulated Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on his election as the speaker and on the smooth transfer of power in Pakistan.
The Speaker thanked the ambassador and asked him to convey his best wishes to the Turkish government, thanking his Turkish counterpart in particular.
He said that a peaceful transition from one government to another was historic for Pakistan and it indicated the people’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law.
Sadiq also said that Pakistan considers Turkey a brother and a trusted friend who has always offered support when neede. He said that religion, history and culture bind both the nations together.
He lauded the unwavering Turkish support to Pakistan at a regional and international level. He appreciated Turk assistance in Pakistan’s socio-economic sectors, especially the mass transit project in Lahore.
He said that enhanced interaction between the business communities of both countries would boost economic activities for their mutual benefit.
Referring to the existing warm parliamentary relations between the countries, the speaker desired that those bonds be strengthened further by enhanced interaction at the parliamentarian and secretarial level.
He termed it a befitting way for exchanging views and learning from each others’ experiences. He said that the Pak-Turk Friendship Group in the National Assembly would soon be activated and said that he was convinced that Pakistan and Turkey could play their role at PAECO to increase cooperation between OIC member states.
The Ambassador reaffirmed his government’s continued support to Pakistan. He said that the Turkish business community was keen to explore Pakistan’s economic potential and the Turkish Mission in Islamabad had arranged a meeting between businessmen from both sides for that purpose.
He said that the Pak-Turk Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Turkish Grand National Assembly was keen to interact with their Pakistan counterparts.
He expressed confidence that such an interaction would further cement ties between the brotherly countries.
He informed the speaker that his Turkish counterpart was keenly awaiting Sardar’s visit to Turkey.