By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif met President of EU Harmonization Committee & Member of Turkish Grand National Assembly Burhan Kaya Turk. She warmly welcomed the Turkish delegation.
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During the meeting, both sides held a comprehensive discussion on bilateral relations, economic cooperation, environmental issues and parliamentary affairs. She expressed profound gratitude to the government and people of Turkiye for their timely assistance during recent devastating floods in Punjab. She also welcomed Turkiye’s interest in Pakistan’s Special Economic Zones.
The meeting emphasized importance of strengthening bilateral ties between parliamentary delegations of both countries and the need for enhanced cooperation in flood management, clean transport, forest protection, water conservation and climate-smart infrastructure. Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif said that Burhan Kaya Turk’s visit to Lahore is an honour for Pakistan and a testament to everlasting brotherhood, shared heritage and mutual trust between the two nations. She added that high-level Pakistan-Turkiye engagement reinforces shared commitment to peace, stability and prosperity amid evolving regional dynamics. She noted that both countries always stood by each other in times of crises, humanitarian emergencies and environmental disasters. She lauded Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s unwavering support for Pakistan which speak volumes of his profound love for Pakistan.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif commended Turkiye’s bold and principled stance on the Palestine issue as a source of confidence for the entire Muslim world. “From Kashmir to Gaza, there is no distance between the hearts and positions of Pakistan and Turkiye,” she noted. She further highlighted that cooperation in climate legislation, local government, digital exchange and youth empowerment would give new dimensions to Pakistan-Turkiye relations. Both sides stressed the need for joint efforts to boost bilateral trade up to 5 billion dollars. Pakistan proposed naming a Special Economic Zone as ‘President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Special Industrial Zone’ in honour of the Turkish President.
Chief Minister Punjab emphasized that Punjab is committed to transforming Pakistan-Turkiye ties into long-term cooperation in economy, environment, investment and public welfare. She briefed the delegation on Punjab’s representation at COP-30 global conference and initiatives being taken by the Punjab government regarding Punjab Clean Air Program, ‘Suthra’ Punjab, AI Forest Protection Force and Punjab Climate Observatory. The Turkish parliamentarian appreciated construction of more than 120,000 houses in Punjab within a short span of few months and acknowledged that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s pace of work “is even faster than Turkiye’s.” Burhan Kaya Turk added that the people of Turkiye hold great admiration for Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.
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