Dr. Fehmida Mirza, Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination / President Pakistan Sports Board attends 3rd International Ethnosport Forum in Antalya

ANTALYA, 22 February 2020: On the invitation of Mr.Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoglu Minister of Youth and Sports of Turkey and Mr. Nejmeddin Bilal Erdogan, President of World Ethnosport Confederation; Dr. Fehmida Mirza, Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination / President Pakistan Sports Board is attending 3^rd International Ethnosport Forum in Antalya, Turkey. The event is being attended by delegates from 49 countries and 10 Sports and Youth Ministers are participating in the event. During her speech, Dr. Fehmida Mirza highlighted the role of Government of Pakistan in the field of modern and ethnosports under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. She updated the forum on the steps being undertaken to promote sports activities in Pakistan and es

tablish international linkages with foreign sports bodies and federations. She invited the participating Ministers to attend the forthcoming Shandoor Polo Festival being organized in Pakistan during July 2020. The Minister emphasized on the importance of introducing adjudication system to avoid tailoring and customizing sports rules.

The Minister also held a bilateral meeting with Turkish Minister of Sports and Youth and discussed various possibilities of enhancing cooperation in sports and youth between the two countries. After the meeting, a ‘Cooperation Program on Youth & Sports for the years 2020-23’ was signed. Both the sides agreed that the implementation of MOUs and agreements in Sports field should be ensured. 

On sidelines of the event, the Minister held a meeting with Mr. Nejmeddin Bilal Erdogan, President World Ethnosport Confederation who is organizing the event. Mr. Erdogan who considers Pakistan a true friend accepted the invitation of Minister for IPC to visit Pakistan.  

Events mark Kashmir Solidarity Day in Turkey; Indian atrocities condemned & Kashmiris’ right to self-determination reiterated

ANKARA, 5 February 2020: Events to commemorate the Kashmir Solidarity Day were held today in Turkey in an expression of strong support for the right to self-determination of the Kashmiris living in the Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJ&K).

Pakistan Embassy Ankara & Pakistan-Turkey Cultural Association co-organized a Kashmir Solidarity Day event in Ankara which was attended by a large number of Turkish Parliamentarians, representatives of several Turkish political parties, local media, think-tanks, as well as a huge turnout of the Pakistani diaspora and students in Turkey.

Messages from the President and the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Kashmir Solidarity Day were read on the occasion.

In his statement, Ambassdor of Pakistan to Turkey, Syrus Sajjad Qazi said that India was perpetrating the most brutal and unforgivable crimes against Kashmiris in IOJ&K by sealing them off from the rest of the world. He added that it was time for the international community to step in and play its moral and legal responsibility towards the Kashmiris. He stated that UN Security Council’s recent consultations on Jammu & Kashmir re-affirm its disputed status, and show growing concern of the international community. He thanked Turkey’s principled support on the issue and reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to continue providing all possible political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris at all forums.

The event was also addressed by the Chairman of the Grand Unity Party and Member of the Parliament, Mr. Mustafa Destici; Chairman of the Pakistan-Turkey Friendship Association, Burhan Kayatürk; and the President of Institute of Strategic Thinking (SDE), Mr. Muhammet Savaş Kafkasyali, among other. The speakers underscored the need for the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions for lasting peace and stability in South Asia. 

Separately, a seminar was also co-organized by Pakistan Embassy Ankara and Turkish think-tank Economic and Social Research Center (ESAM) to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day. 

Speaking on the occasion, Ambassdor of Pakistan said that Jammu & Kashmir dispute was one of the oldest issues on the agenda of the UN Security Council. He said that the relevant UNSC resolutions were a legal guarantee against any unilateral change in Jammu & Kashmir’s disputed status. Indian illegal actions of 5 August 2019 were a blatant violation of UNSC resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements. He called for upholding the right to self-determination of the Kashmiris and for ending gross violations of human rights forthwith. 

The event was also addressed by President of ESAM Mr. Recai Kutan and the Chairman of Saadet Party, Mr. Temel Karamollaoglu. 

An event to express solidarity with the people of Jammu & Kashmir was also held at the Consulate General of Pakistan Istanbul in which a large number of members of the Pakistani diaspora participated. Speaking on the occasion, the participants expressed solidarity with the people of IOJ&K; called on international community to uphold Kashmiris’ right to self-determination; and put pressure on Indian to end its atrocities.

YTB Symposium on “Pakistan-Turkey Relations: Past to Present”

ANKARA, 1 February 2020: The Turks Abroad and Related Communities Presidency (YTB), in coordination with Pakistani students in Ankara, organized a “Symposium on Pakistan-Turkey Relations: Past to Present”, on 1^st February 2020, in Ankara, Turkey.

The Symposium was attended by Mr. Yalcin Topcu, Head Advisor to the President; Mr. Metin Gundogdu, Member of Parliament from Ordu (AKP); H.E. Syrus Sajjad Qazi, Ambassador of Pakistan to Turkey; Mr. Murat Kazanci, Head of Cultural and Social Affairs of YTB; Turkish and Pakistani Professors; Pakistani students as well as students of other nationalities; members of Turkish intelligentsia; representatives from Think-Tanks; besides others.

Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador of Pakistan to Turkey, H.E. Syrus Sajjad Qazi, remarked that, while 2020 marks 73 years of the establishment of Pakistan-Turkey Diplomatic Relations, the fraternal ties between the two peoples go back several centuries. Turkey and Pakistan are important members of the international community including the Muslim World, and have a history of speaking up for the cause of truth and justice, globally, the Ambassador said. In addition, the two countries have always stood by one another under the most difficult and challenging circumstances, he further added. 

Highlighting the Kashmir cause, the Ambassador thanked the Turkish leadership and people for standing by Pakistan, on international forums, particularly in raising its voice for the right of self-determination of the people of Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir. 

Head Advisor to the President, Mr. Yalcin Topcu, said that “Pakistan and Turkey are kara gun (all-weather) friends, and are like stars of the same sky”. Pakistan and Turkey are two friendly and brotherly countries, who support one another in the most difficult times, and the economic, political and cultural relations of the two countries are increasing day by day, he added.

He concluded his speech with the remarks that; “the founder of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammed Ali Jinnah, was one of the most important statesmen of the Islamic world. He and the national poet Allama Muhammed Iqbal, gathered 1.5 Million Muslims to support the Turkish brothers' struggle for independence. I commemorate them with mercy and gratitude”.

Dr. Hatice Celin from SDE think-tank; Dr. Cemil Kutluturk, Dr. Haroon Muzaffar, and Students from Cozum College, Ankara, also spoke on the occasion. 

“Pakistan-Türkiye İlişkileri üzerine YTB Sempozyumu: Geçmişten Bugüne”

ANKARA, 1 Şubat 2020: Yurt Dışındaki Türkler ve Akraba Topluluklar Başkanlığı (YTB) Ankara’daki Pakistanlı öğrencilerle koordinasyon içerisinde 1 Şubat 2020’de Ankara, Türkiye’de “Pakistan-Türkiye İlişkileri Üzerine Sempozyum: Geçmişten Bugüne” adlı biro lay düzenledi.  

Sempozyuma Cumhurbaşkanlığı Baş Danışmanı Sayın Yalçın Topçu, AKP Ordu Milletvekili Metin Gündoğdu, Pakistan’ın Türkiye Büyükelçisi Ekselansları Syrus Sajjad Qazi, YTB Kültürel ve Sosyal İşler Başkanı Murat Kazancı, Türk ve Pakistanlı profesörler, Pakistanlı ve diğer milletlerden öğrenciler, Türk aydınları, Düşünce Kuruluşu temsilcileri ve diğer kişiler katıldı.  

Bu olayda konuşan Pakistan’ın Türkiye Büyükelçisi Ekselansları Syrus Sajjad Qazi, şunu belirtti ki, 2020 yılı Pakistan-Türkiye Diplomatik İlişkilerinin kuruluşunun 73. yılıdır ve iki halk arasındaki kardeşlik bağları birkaç yüzyıl öncesine kadar gider.  Büyükelçi Türkiye ve Pakistan, İslam Dünyası da dahil olmak üzere uluslararası topluluğun önemli birer üyesidir ve küresel olarak bahsedildiğinde, gerçek ve adalet davaları bakımından bir geçmişe sahiptir diye konuştu.  Bunun yanı sıra, iki ülke her zaman en zor anlarında birbirlerinin yanında durmuşlardır diye de ekledi.  

Keşmir meselesine dikkatleri çeken Büyükelçi, uluslararası forumlarda Pakistan’ın yanında durdukları için Türk liderlerine ve halkına teşekkür etti, özellikle Hint İşgalindeki Cammu ve Keşmir halkının kendi kaderlerin belirleme hakları için seslerini yükseltmeleri nedeniyle.  

Cumhurbaşkanının Baş Danışmanı Sayın Yalçın Topçu dedi ki “Pakistan ve Türkiye kara gün dostlarıdır ve aynı gökyüzünün yıldızları gibidir.”  Pakistan ve Türkiye en zor zamanlarında birbirlerini destekleyen iki kardeş ve dost ülkedir ve iki ülkenin ekonomik, siyasi ve kültürel ilişkileri günden güne artmaktadır diye ekledi.  

Kendisi konuşmasını “Pakistan İslam Cumhuriyetinin kurucusu Kaid-I Azam Muhammed Ali Cinnah İslam dünyasının en önemli devlet adamlarından birisiydi.  O ve ulusal şair Muhammed İkbal Türk kardeşlerinin bağımsızlık mücadelesini desteklemek için 1.5 milyon Müslümanı bir araya getirdi.  Kendilerini rahmey ve şükranla anıyorum” diye bitirdi.  

SDE Düşünce Kuruluşundan Dr. Hatice Çetin, Dr. Cemil Kutlutürk, Dr. Harun Muzaffer ve Ankara Çözüm Koleji öğrencileri de bu olay üzerine konuştu.