Turkey's Erdogan felicitates Imran Khan on assuming PM office

ISLAMABAD: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday congratulated newly-elected Prime Minister Imran Khan on assuming his office and expressed good wishes for his government.

In a felicitation letter, the Turkish president expressed hope that bilateral relations between Pakistan and Turkey will further strengthen and reach a new pinnacle during the tenure of Imran Khan.

Different other world leaders also felicitated the premier on this occasion.

Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang said that he was willing to establish a sound working relationship and personal friendship with the new Prime Minister of Pakistan, in a bid to carry on the traditional friendship between China and Pakistan.

Read More: Bradford University congratulates Imran upon taking oath as PM

British Prime Minister Theresa May expressed good wishes for the incoming government of Pakistan and said that Britain was ready to open new vistas of partnership with Pakistan in various sectors.

Imran sought her support in anti-money laundering efforts of the government, to which she agreed.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warmly congratulated Imran Khan on the assumption of the office.

He hoped for deepening of UN-Pak cooperation in various fields, including the world body’s flagship peacekeeping operations around the globe.

Pakistan, being one of the largest contributors of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping, is currently providing nearly 6,000 military and police personnel to the UN peacekeeping operations across the world.

Earlier in the day, Imran took oath as Pakistan’s 22nd prime minister in a simple ceremony at the President House.

For the cricket legend-turned-politician, his party’s first place in a national election and becoming country’s prime minister, is the culmination of a battle that started more than two decades ago.

For years, he was dismissed as a political dilettante who could not convert his personal popularity into significant seats in parliament for the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

But July 25 elections dramatically changed that, putting the former sports star on the brink of power. The PTI won the most seats in July’s elections – setting up Khan to become PM with the help of small parties, more than two decades after he first entered politics.