Islamabad, 18 August 2021 (TDI): After completion of a 3-day trip to Istanbul, President Dr. Arif Alvi has returned to Islamabad on 17 August 2021. Upon the invitation of his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, for the launching ceremony of the first of the four MILGEM-class corvettes for the Pakistan Navy, President Alvi left for Turkey. It was agreed in 2018 that the two countries would jointly be making four corvettes proportionately in Istanbul and Karachi. President Alvi landed at Ataturk Airport on 14 August where he was received by Governor of Istanbul Ali Yerlikaya, senior Turkish officials and Ambassador of Pakistan Muhammad Syrus Qazi.
On 15 August, the second day of the visit, during a special occasion of prize distribution ceremony in Istanbul, President Alvi bestowed Pakistan’s civil award to two Turkish dignitaries Dr. Selami Kilic and Prof. Dr. Celal Soydan for their invaluable services to the people of Pakistan in health and literature.
President Dr. Arif Alvi and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan jointly inaugurated the ceremony of the first PN MILGEM-class corvette, PNS Babur (F-280) for Pakistan at the Istanbul Military Shipyard. After prayer, the first lady Mrs. Samina Alvi launched the corvette in the water. On the occasion, both the leaders stressed the need for peace, stability, and development in their respective regions. President Alvi emphasized improving their cooperation, particularly in defense to cope with looming threats and shared challenges. The timely completion of the project hints at staunch belief in the partnership of the two countries. The ongoing project of MILGEM-class corvettes would consolidate the defense cooperation between the two brotherly countries to even a higher level. President Alvi admired the incessant support of Istanbul on the Kashmir Issue and also assured Pakistan’s unwavering support to Turkey on the Cyprus issue.
At Vahdettin Mansion in Istanbul, President Dr. Arif Alvi and the first lady Mrs. Samina Begum were given a fantastic feast by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the first lady Emine Erdogan. Both Presidents assessed the alternatives to better bilateral relations through the Strategic Economic Framework (SEF) agreed in February 2020. The recent developments in Afghanistan also caught their special attention.
On 16 August, the third day of the visit, at the Vadettin Palace, President Dr. Arif Alvi and his Turkish counterpart assessed what was unfolding in Afghanistan in a meeting that lasted for four hours. The safe transfer of Turkish assets from Afghanistan required the assistance of Pakistan. Shared values and history reflected the firm roots of the relations between the two brotherly countries.
In a meeting with delegations of leading Turkish companies in Istanbul, the President asked the Turkish investors to tap the immense potential of economic cooperation between the two countries through investing in sectors such as tourism, finance, industry, I.T., and mining. In addition to the government’s recent measures for a business-friendly environment in Pakistan, President Alvi told them that their reservations would be entertained swiftly. The heads from the energy, information technology, electronics, and health sectors participated in the meeting. The members of delegations shared with President Alvi about their ongoing and future business plans including multi-sector projects to bag more foreign investment for Pakistan. They also presented their capabilities and advisory assistance to help Pakistan higher its exports.
