Islamabad, 29 October 2021 (TDI): Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has congratulated the government of Turkey and its people on the country’s 98th Republic Day. The Republic of Turkey was formed on 29 October 1923, after the Turkish War of Independence.
Prime Minister Imran Khan stated, in a tweet, “Pakistan and Turkey share cordial bonds grounded in common faith, shared history, and culture“. He said the two countries look forward to transforming their longstanding ties into a strategic partnership. The statement added, “Long Live Pak-Turkey Dosti”.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan also felicitated Turkey on its National Day.
Moreover, On the occasion of Republic Day of Turkey, Turk-Pak Photo Exhibition was organized in Lahore by Film, Art, Culture Exchange and Collaboration. The exhibition was titled “”1000 Years Connect”. The event showcased the historical between Muslims of Pakistan & Turkey.
Pakistan-Turkey diplomatic relations
Pakistan and Turkey share amicable diplomatic relations based on mutual trust, solidarity, and respect. Relation between the people of both sides’ dates back before the establishment of two states. The roots of the relations lie in the Khilafat Movement when Muslims of the subcontinent supported the declining Ottoman Empire and send financial aid.
The two countries established formal diplomatic relations in 1947. The two countries have exchanged many official visits since the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Recently, the President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi, visited Turkey in August 2021. Whereas, Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Turkey in 2019. Likewise, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan paid an official visit to Pakistan in February 2020.
Moreover, the two countries formed High-Level Cooperation Council in 2009. It was later upgraded to High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council. The sixth meeting of the council took place in Islamabad in February 2020 under the leadership of President Erdogan. In this meeting, 73 agreements and documents were signed which further strengthened the relations between both countries.
Furthermore, Pakistan and Turkey support each other on various bilateral and international issues. For example, Turkey backs Pakistan on the Kashmir issue at all forums. Similarly, Pakistan stood by Turkey on tensions with Greece and Cyprus. Considering, the relationship between the two countries is often termed as ‘brotherly’ and ‘special’ which always stand the test of time.
Additionally, both countries are considering signing a dual citizenship agreement. This will be an important milestone in the relations between Pakistan and Turkey.
In 2017, both countries celebrated the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Economic Relations
The major items on bilateral trade between Pakistan and Turkey consist of cotton and cotton yarn, tanning and dying extract, rubber articles, minerals, plastic, textile, and chemical products. Additionally, more than 17 Turkish companies are operating in Pakistan in various sectors including energy, finance, and infrastructure projects. Moreover, the Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad road trade corridor became operational in October 2021.
Additionally, both countries are founding members of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and D-8 (Developing 8 Countries).
Defense Relations
Turkey and Pakistan also have strong defense ties. In 2000, the two countries signed an annual armed forces training exchange program. Moreover, Turkey is the second biggest arms supplier to Pakistan after China. In 2016, Turkey gifted 34 T-37 aircraft and spares to Pakistan. The two countries upgraded bilateral defense cooperation in 2018 by signing of some important defense deals. Moreover, the two countries occasionally partake in military drills. Recently, Turkish Air Force also participated in a multinational military exercise organized by Pakistan, ACES Meet 2021-2.
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