President Arif Alvi attended the inauguration ceremony of Istanbul Grand International Airport on Monday while on a three-day visit to Turkey at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
President Erdogan, while opening the airport ─ which his government says will eventually become the largest in the world ─ with great fanfare, said it would be “the pride of our country and an example to the world.”
Along with President Alvi, other heads of state were also in attendance at the lavish opening ceremony, AFP reported.
At the event, Alvi said that Pakistan and Turkey share “deep brotherly and historical-based relations”.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated President Dr Arif Alvi on his election. He hoped that bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries will further grow under the new leadership of Pakistan.
Pakistan and Turkey are enjoying deep brotherly and historical based relations.
~President Dr. Arif Alvi
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They also agreed to further enhance mutual cooperation between the two brotherly countries for further deepening bilateral relations in all fields.
Dr Alvi stressed the early conclusion of the bilateral Free Trade Agreement and increasing the bilateral trade between both the countries. He expressed satisfaction at growing Turkish investment in Pakistan and also hoped that Turkish investors will further benefit from various investment opportunities in Pakistan.
At the inauguration — which coincided with the 95th anniversary of modern Turkey’s founding by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk — Erdogan revealed that the airport would be named “Istanbul”.
The new airport hall is pictured during the opening ceremony of Istanbul’s third airport, the Istanbul New Airport, in the Arnavutkoy district on the European side of Istanbul on October 29, 2018. (Photo by BULENT KILIC / AFP)
“Istanbul is not only our biggest city but also the most valuable trademark of our country,” he said.
The airport, one of a number of mega-projects built under Erdogan’s rule, will be little used until next year after construction was marred by delays and a workers’ strike over poor conditions.
Erdogan has championed the $12 billion project in his bid to make Istanbul a global travel hub linking Europe, Asia and Africa and turn flag carrier Turkish Airlines into an aviation giant.
But the airport will only offer flights to five destinations until an expanded opening on December 29, from when it is expected to handle up to 90 million passengers a year, rising to up to 200 million when all facilities are completed in 2028.
The first flight from the new facility will be to the capital Ankara on Wednesday.
A handout picture taken and released on October 29, 2018 by the Turkish Presidential Press Service shows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan doing a symbolic check-in and taking their tickets on the opening day of the Istanbul New Airport in Istanbul. – Erdogan opened Istanbul’s new international airport, which his government says will eventually become the world’s largest, with great fanfare on October 29. (Photo by Handout / TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / AFP)
A handout picture taken and released on October 29, 2018 by the Turkish Presidential Press Service shows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (front R) his wife Emine Erdogan (front L) and other officials driving in a vehicle on the opening day of the Istanbul New Airport in Istanbul. – Erdogan opened Istanbul’s new international airport, which his government says will eventually become the world’s largest, with great fanfare on October 29. (Photo by Handout / TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / AFP)
A handout picture taken and released on October 29, 2018 by the Turkish Presidential Press Service shows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (front R) his wife Emine Erdogan (front L) and other officials driving in a vehicle on the opening day of the Istanbul New Airport in Istanbul. – Erdogan opened Istanbul’s new international airport, which his government says will eventually become the world’s largest, with great fanfare on October 29. (Photo by Handout / TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / AFP)
People attend the opening ceremony of Istanbul’s new international airport, in the Arnavutkoy district, on the European side of Istanbul on October 29, 2018. – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on October 29, 2018 opened with fanfare Istanbul’s new international airport, which his government says will eventually become the world’s largest. (Photo by BULENT KILIC / AFP)
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan centre, along with other officials inaugurates the new airport in Istanbul, Monday, Oct. 29, 2018, a project that he has pushed to fulfill his dream of making Turkey a global player. Erdogan announced that Istanbul Airport was open for operations on a special day — the 95th anniversary of Turkey’s establishment as a republic following its war of independence. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
A handout picture taken and released on October 29, 2018 by the Turkish Presidential Press Service shows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan attending an inauguration ceremony on the opening day of the Istanbul New Airport in Istanbul. – Erdogan opened Istanbul’s new international airport, which his government says will eventually become the world’s largest, with great fanfare on October 29. (Photo by Handout / TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / AFP)
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, center, and Turkish officials pray as he inaugurates a gleaming new aviation hub in Istanbul on Monday, Oct. 29, 2018, a megaproject that he has pushed to fulfill his dream of making Turkey a global player. Erdogan announced that Istanbul Airport was open for operations on a special day — the 95th anniversary of Turkey’s establishment as a republic following its war of independence.(AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
A handout picture taken and released on October 29, 2018 by the Turkish Presidential Press Service shows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan posing with gueast leaders at the terminal building on the opening day of the Istanbul New Airport in Istanbul. – Erdogan opened Istanbul’s new international airport, which his government says will eventually become the world’s largest, with great fanfare on October 29. (Photo by Handout / TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / AFP)
