ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Thursday said that friendship between Turkey and Pakistan was time tested and Turkey always stood by Pakistan even in the difficult times. He said this while speaking to Ambassador of Turkey, Sadik Babur Girgin, in the Parliament House on Thursday. The NA speaker underlined the need for enhanced interaction between the parliamentarians of both the countries for further cementing the fraternal relations between the two countries. The parliamentarians of the two sides could play a meaningful role in the region as “parliamentary diplomacy” could enable the real policy makers to understand each others point of view, he said. While expressing his concern over the problems confronting Muslim Ummah, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that it was the responsibility of all the parliamentarians from Muslim countries to work in close cooperation. Ambassador of Turkey, Sadik Babur Girgin, said that Pakistan and Turkey have unanimity of views on the political front and the cooperation between both the nations should be extended to all spheres. The culture and values of people in Pakistan and Turkey were common and could be utilised for strengthening mutual relations and for the benefit of the people, he said. He assured the NA speaker that his country would make all possible efforts to speed up the economic development and progress in Pakistan.