Daily Times

Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan, Irfan Neziroglu has said that Turkiye’s borders do not meet Pakistan, but Pakistanis and Turks are like one nation, their hearts beat together.

He was addressing to one-day conference titled “Pakistan-Turkey Friendship: In the Context of Iqbal’s Thought” held here last day at Allama Iqbal Open University to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the poet of the East.

The ambassador said on this occasion that Turks consider Pakistan as their second home and Pakistanis also consider Turkiye their second homeland as well. He said that Turkey is Pakistan and Pakistan is Turkey. The ambassador said that we provide scholarships to Pakistani students in Turkey and will try to increase the number of scholarships.

Vice-Chancellor AIOU, Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood while addressing the gathering thought the strong, enduring friendship between the two countries, calling it a global model. He encouraged students to embrace Allama Iqbal’s philosophy of “Khudi” (selfhood) and focus on personal development to help lead the nation toward success.

The session featured prominent keynote speakers, including Professor Dr. Muhammad Saleem Mazhar, Director General National Language Promotion Department, Professor Dr. Zafar Hussain Zafar, Turkish Embassy Educational Attaché Dr. Mehmet Tuyran, Dr. Khalil Tokar, Director of the Yunus Emre Institute, and Dr. Syed Shiraz Ali Zaidi, In-charge of the Department of Iqbaliyat at the University.

Dr. Khalil Tokar, Director of the Yunus Emre Institute also spoke on this occasion. He emphasized the importance of passing down the deep friendship between Pakistan and Turkey to future generations and praised Iqbal’s love for the Turkish people. Professor Dr. Zafar Hussain Zafar reflected on Iqbal’s lifelong solidarity with Turkey, noting that Iqbal never missed an opportunity to express his affection. The conference, which was part of a series of events marking Allama Iqbal Open University’s Golden Jubilee in 2024, underscored the shared values and mutual support between Pakistan and Turkey, which has earned them global recognition for their enduring loyalty and friendship.