ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said that Turkey is a time-tested friend of Pakistan and the country attaches great importance to it relations with Turkey as both the fraternal countries are tied in bonds of religion, history and culture. According to a message received from Geneva on Sunday, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq while talking to Turkey’s Grand National Assembly GNAT Speaker Ismail Kahraman in the sideline meeting during the 138th Inter Parliamentary Union Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland said that the existing relations between the two countries can be further cemented through enhanced interactions of parliamentarians. He said that the people of Pakistan and Turkey shared exemplary feelings of respect and friendliness for each other that can best be materialised in the form of enhanced economic cooperation between the two countries. He termed the friendship between his country and Turkey “a historic association that is deeply imbedded in our people’s hearts and minds”. Underlining the importance of inter-parliamentary exchange of delegations, the Ayaz Sadiq said that greater exchange of parliamentary delegations was necessary because such exchanges will provide opportunities to exchange views and learnings from experiences. He also stressed the need for robust connectivity with Turkey and added that Turkey held a unique importance in Pakistan’s strategic calculations for regional cooperation. Ismail Kahraman said that Turkey was determined to foster robust ties with Pakistan through enhanced bilateral and multilateral cooperation. He remarked that Pakistan-Turkey bilateral cooperation will unleash a new wave of connectivity in the region. He reaffirmed his commitment for expanding trade and cultural relations with Pakistan and urged the need for greater exchanges of parliamentary delegations. While congratulating on Pakistan Day, Kahraman said that the Turkish people can never forget the sacrifices of the Muslims of the Indo-Pakistan during the Turk War of Liberation. The Turkish speaker said that his country strongly desires to translate that historic association with Pakistan into economic and strategic partnership in all fields for mutual benefit of both the nations. Published in Daily Times, March 26th 2018.