Pakistan, Turkiye agree to accelerate efforts for Gaza ceasefire

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday and congratulated him on his passionate address to the 79th session of the UN General Assembly that centred on the Palestinian crisis.

“The way the Turkish President highlighted the issue touched the hearts of all those listening to him in the Assembly hall,” he told reporters after the meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the Assembly’s 79th session.

During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations and cooperation in different fields.

Both the leaders agreed to increase cooperation in various fields particularly in economic and defence sectors.

They agreed to accelerate efforts for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza enclave for peace in the region and humanitarian supplies to Palestinians.

PM Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan and Turkey have brotherly relations and that President Erdogan would soon pay a visit to Pakistan.

In his emotional address, Erdogan said that the values of the United Nations’ system and the Western world are dying in Gaza as the conflict continues there, calling for an “alliance of humanity” to stop Israel’s aggression.

The Turkish leader strongly criticized Israel over its military campaign in the Gaza Strip and on the Western countries for their support to Israel.

“Along with children in Gaza, the United Nations system is also dying, the truth is dying, the values that the West claims to defend are dying, the hopes of humanity to live in a fairer world are dying one by one,” Erdogan added.

Replying to a question, the prime minister said the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was in the final stages of approval as Pakistan had accepted all its conditions — some of the quite tough.

In this regard, he profusely thanked China, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, saying without their support this would not have been possible.

He is due to meet IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva soon.

The premier said his government had accepted the economic challenge to the country and now, with collective efforts of the government and all institutions, it has overcome those challenges.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif prayed for Allah’s help in serving the people of Pakistan.