Mamnoon in Turkey to attend Erdogan’s oath taking ceremony

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain Sunday arrived Ankara on a three-day official visit where he will attend the oath taking ceremony of President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Upon arrival at the airport, the President was warmly received by Ambassador of Pakistan in Turkey Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi, Deputy Governor Ankara, Deputy Mayor of Ankara and other senior officials, a press release said.

Children clad in traditional attire presented bouquets to President Mamnoon Hussain.
On July 9, President Erdogan during a ceremony will take oath of his office in the Turkish national assembly.

Besides, President Mamnoon Hussain, 17 heads of state from other countries would also attend the ceremony.

Erdogan on June 25 declared victory in a tightly-contested presidential election, extending his 15-year grip on power in the face of a revitalised opposition.

Erdogan has just under 53 percent in the presidential poll while Ince, of the secular Republican People’s Party (CHP), was on 31 percent.

Erdogan has overseen historic change in Turkey since his Islamic-rooted ruling party first came to power in 2002 after years of secular domination. But critics accuse the Turkish strongman, 64, of trampling on civil liberties and autocratic behaviour.

Although Erdogan dominated airtime on a pliant mainstream media, Ince finished his campaign with eye-catching mass rallies, including a mega meeting in Istanbul on Saturday attended by hundreds of thousands of people.

The president has for the last two years ruled under a state of emergency imposed in the wake of the 2016 failed coup, with tens of thousands arrested in an unprecedented crackdown which cranked up tensions with the West.