Pakistan’s pain, joy & success is ours as well: Erdogan
Pakistan and Turkiye on Friday extended support to each other over the respective terror threats faced by each country as both identified shared values and committed to enhancing bilateral cooperation in various fields, particularly defence.
This was stated by Prime minster Shehbaz Sharif and Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a joint news conference in Istanbul on Friday evening.
Shehbaz extended his deepest condolences to the martyrs of the Istiklal Street attack.
“Our heart goes out to those martyred by terrorists here in Istanbul,” he said, as he extended Islamabad’s support to Ankara on combatting terrorism.
For his part, Erdogan also extended support to Islamabad.
“We have always seen Pakistan’s pain as our pain, their joy as our joy and their success as our success,” he said, adding that Turkiye supports Pakistan’s fight against terrorism.
Erdogan also elaborated how this year they celebrate 75 years of diplomatic ties and expressed a desire to further deepen bilateral relations and trade ties.
The Turkiye president said that during the recent floods, they set out to help distressed brothers and sisters by opening an airbridge with 14 planes and a rail link with 13 ‘kindness’ trains.
He also thanked Pakistani authorities for the timely action taken against all Fateh Gullen terrorist organization in Pakistan.
Want peace? Be prepared for war
Earlier, Prime Minster Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said Islamabad will work with Ankara to enhance defence capability of either country for promoting peace and to ward off aggression.
He said this while jointly inaugurating with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the third vessel part of a deal to jointly develop four MILGEM Corvette Ships for Pakistan Navy at the Istanbul Shipyard.
“If you want to live in peace, you must be prepared for war,” PM Shehbaz said as PNS Khaibar rolled off the development platform and caused a splash in the Bosphorus.
“This is not for aggression, this is for defence,” he asserted, as he proposed a joint defence technology development program to Erdogan.
“Let us enhance further production capacity,” he said, adding that they must peace is restored in the world.
Prime minister further said that he deeply appreciates Erdogan’s wisdom in brokering a deal to bring shipments of wheat from Ukraine.
Wheat and others essential commodities were facing in shortage around the world with developing countries like Pakistan sure to face serious difficulties unless a solution were to be found.
“I want to take this opportunity to ask my dear president [Arif Alvi] to lets join together and get rid of high carbon emissions, cut our import bills and lets really promote investments in these fields.
He said that it is high time to translate the relation between the two countries into trade and investment.
Shehbaz went on to compare the current global environment to the 1920’s, just before the Khilafat movement and the rise of Mustafa Kemal Attaturk.
“Our brothers and sisters in Turkey were fighting the war of freedom, and Muslims in the subcontinent were launching a movement in favor of this great war of freedom,” he said.
He said mothers and sisters were donating their jewellery, while shopkeepers, farmers and students were raising funds for the Khilafat movement.
“That is the history of our relations, strengthening from pillar to post,” he said.
He thanked Erdogan for all that Turkey has done in standing by Pakistan in its difficult times, whether they were earthquakes or floods, apart from supporting Pakistan’s cause on every international forum.
“Turkey will never hesitate to come to Pakistan’s rescue,” he said.
Shehbaz pointed out how today Turkish schools, colleges and universities teach students through their curriculum what the Muslims in the subcontinent did for Turkish brothers and sisters during the freedom war.
He further said that recently Pakistan was hit by floods and Turkey was again at the forefront in providing support.
Shehbaz said that Tukey sent 30 planes laden with relief goods including 15 Turkish military aircraft with food and medicines and 13 goods trains that carried 70,000 tons of goods, medicines, tents and foods for flood effected people.
“We both are great nation and no power in world can breach it,” he said.
Apart from calling for enhancing defence cooperation, PM Shehbaz further said that there is a huge potential for development in the field of alternate energy for both countries.
He called for Turkey and Pakistan to join hands for the production of solar, wind and hydel energy generation products to help cut carbon emissions in either country and around the world and open up new avenues of investment and cooperation.
