Pakistani Embassy in Türkiye marks 76th Independence Day

By Zehra Nur Duz

ANKARA (AA) – The Pakistani Embassy in Türkiye on Monday marked the South Asian nation’s 76th Independence Day at an event in the capital Ankara.

Addressing the event, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Türkiye Yousaf Junaid said Monday’s “landmark” event marks the “culmination of a long and arduous democratic struggle by Muslims of the subcontinent for a separate homeland.”

“Now it is our responsibility to live up to the ideals of our founding leaders and play our role in the sustainable and inclusive development of the country,” Junaid said.

He also called for an end to the “atrocities in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir.”

“Consistent with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, the final disposition of Jammu and Kashmir must be carried out in accordance with the will of the Kashmiri people, by allowing them right to self-determination – thereby ending one of the longest global disputes on the agenda of the UN,” Junaid urged.

Speaking on the Pakistan-Türkiye ties which he said are based on “brotherhood,” the ambassador added: “It is a heart-to-heart relationship that transcends the boundaries of time and geography.”

The two nations have always stood by and supported each other at all times and will continue to do so, he said.

Meanwhile, bridges on the Istanbul Strait linking Asia with Europe will be illuminated in colors of Pakistan’s flag this evening to mark the occasion.

On Aug. 14, 1947, the independent state of Pakistan appeared on the world stage for the first time when the Indian subcontinent was formally divided into two new dominions of India and Pakistan under the terms of the Indian Independence Act, adopted by the British parliament.

The Muslims’ proposal to establish a separate state was accepted on March 23, 1940.

- People-to-people contacts to boost relations with Türkiye

Aiming to boost ties with Türkiye, a group of three Pakistani expats paid a weeklong trip meeting local Turkish people and helping establish linkages between universities.

Istanbul-based Yasir Naeem Qureshi, US-based Agha Adeel Saadat and UK-based Mian Sajjad Mahmood in a joint effort toured many cities in Türkiye, meeting locals to strengthen the historic relations between the two nations.

“People-to-people connectivity is a must and our aim of touring across Türkiye was to start building friendship on people-to-people basis,” Saadat told Anadolu.

“It is to find commonalities among the two peoples to establish organic … grass roots level camaraderie,” he said. “We spent a day with a Turkish family in Ordu and it was quite a different experience.”

The trio also visited Ankara University the capital city besides 19 Mayis University in the Samsun province along the Black Sea coast. They also visited central Konya province and other cities.

Saadat said his team is working with universities in Pakistan to establish IT and research-based exchange programs.

“We are working with 19 Mayis University and Ghulam Ishaq Khan University in the first phase,” he said.

He added that tourism presented a good opportunity for the nations to expand economic relations.

*Riyaz ul Khaliq contributed to this report from Istanbul