Islamabad, 25 March 2022 (TDI): On Thursday, the Chief of the Turkish General Staff, General Yasar Guler, met the President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi, at Aiwan-e Sadr, Islamabad. The Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan, Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul, was also present during the meeting.
The two parties talked about the importance of increased collaboration in commerce, culture, and defense. They reiterated their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and supporting one another on regional and international forums.
صدر مملکت ڈاکٹر عارف علوی سے ترک چیف آف جنرل سٹاف، جنرل یاسر گلر کی ملاقات۔ pic.twitter.com/FKOVqCUilT
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) March 24, 2022
The President welcomed the Turkish General Staff Chief, saying that Pakistan and Turkey have long-standing ties that need to be strengthened to benefit both countries. He emphasized the importance of increased collaboration in the areas of commerce, information technology, and defense.
The President assured that Pakistan would continue to back Turkey on Cyprus while also drawing attention to India’s continued human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and its role in the Muslim genocide.
The President further expressed gratitude to Turkey for its unwavering support for Pakistan, particularly in relation to the Kashmir conflict.
The focus of the discussion then shifted to the Afghan situation. Both sides emphasized the need for peace in Afghanistan as it would not only bring stability and prosperity for the people of Afghanistan but also encourage regional trade and connectivity.
The visiting Chief congratulated the President on the successful conduct of the Pakistan Day parade and stated that Turkey would continue to help Pakistan on all fronts.
He emphasized the need for further expanding friendly relations between the two nations and expressed the confidence that the two countries’ younger generations will push bilateral relationships to new heights.
He also praised Pakistan for its role in helping Afghanistan through difficult times.
Aiman Iqbal is the Managing Editor at the Journal of Peace and Diplomacy published by the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies (IPDS), and the Assistant Editor of The Diplomatic Insight magazine. She holds an MPhil in International Relations. She can be reached at aimaniqbal106@gmail.com
