Wish to take Pak-Turk relations to new heights: PM Khan

ANKARA: Concluding his two-day official visit to Turkey, his first, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that his government was fully committed to not only develop Pakistan but also contribute in ensuring regional peace and stability, ARY News reported. 

He was addressing a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Turkish capital on Friday.

The prime minister said that the two countries enjoyed brotherly relations spanning generations and he hoped that the ties would only strengthen over time.”We wish to take relations between Pakistan and Turkey to new heights”, he said.

He also hoped that Turkish firms would invest in Pakistan and assist the Pakistani government in its various ventures to uplift the people and the economy, saying that the Pakistani government wanted to take advantage from the experience of the Turkish companies.

“Our government will build five million houses in its tenure. We invite Turkish companies to take part in this venture for its up-to-the-mark execution and timely completion”, he said.

Reflecting on the improved internal security situation, the prime minister lauded the efforts of the Pakistani law enforcement agencies. “Pakistani agencies have laid down remarkable sacrifices in the fight against terrorism”, he said.

Prime Minister Khan said that Pakistan wanted a dialogue with India because only talks could guarantee peace in the region.

He, however, expressed his disappointment over India’s rejection of Pakistan’s peace overtures. “Kashmir is an important issue between India and Pakistan, and I have discussed the violation of human rights in India-occupied Kashmir.”

Talking about the unrest in Afghanistan and Syria, the prime minister said that Pakistan was playing an active role in facilitating talks [between the Afghan Taliban and the United States] to achieve a lasting peace.

“Pakistan wishes that all stakeholders play their role for stability in Afghanistan”, he said.

“Solutions to achieve a peaceful resolution to Syrian conflict were also discussed with the Turkish president”, he added.

President Erdogan in his address congratulated Prime Minister Imran Khan on his landslide victory in 2018 general elections. “Imran Khan has a long political struggle to his credit; I congratulate him on his party’s victory in elections”, he said.

He also welcomed the Pakistani Supreme Court’s December 28 directive of declaring the Pak-Turk Education Foundation ‘a terror-outfit’.

Erdogan told that the details of his meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also came under discussion in his meeting with Prime Minister Khan.

“Be it the war on terror or the efforts to ensure regional peace, 2019 will be the year of Pakistan and Turkey”, he added.

“I hope that the three-country meeting between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkey would help in finding a peaceful solution to Afghan crisis”, he said.

He said that a possibility of procuring trainer aircrafts from Pakistan was also discussed in a meeting with the Pakistani delegation.