News
Strong democracy linked to economic progress: Erdogan
ISLAMABAD: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in his address to the joint sitting of the Parliament here on Monday termed the economic progress essential for strengthening of the democratic process, Geo News reported.In his second address to Pakistani Parliament, the visiting Turkish PM said democracy can never be established with ease and described the people as its biggest source of strength.
"Parliament represents the people and no one can stand in front of it," he asserted.
He said the role of the opposition was not to make attempts to oust the government by subjecting it to undue criticism but to set its direction right when it goes astray.
Appreciating Pakistan's endeavors towards fighting terrorism, he said Turkey and Pakistan would continue to make joint efforts for establishment of peace in the region.
He said Pakistan and Turkey are two strong nations of the region which had always trusted each other and would continue to do so in the future. "We continue remain an example for the world," he remarked.
Erdogan believed that effects of improvement in Afghanistan's situation would also be seen in Pakistan.
Referring to 2005 earthquake in Muzzaffarbad, he said he had visited the affected region three times. The houses being built for flood affectees with the assistance of Turkey would be handed over to them towards the end of this year, he added.
Talking about Turkey's development, Erdogan said it was the legal and economic reforms undertaken by his country that played a key role in its progress.
"We consider Pakistani people as our brothers and sisters and their pain is our pain and their happiness is our happiness," he said.
The Turkish PM said his country wanted to increase the bilateral trade with Pakistan from one billion to two billion dollars.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan ended his speech with slogan 'Turk-Pak friendship zindabad'.
The joint session of Parliament was attended by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Shameem Wyne, Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Air Chief Air Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, Naval Chief Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila, provincial governors and chief ministers, the President and the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu Kashmir, representatives of different political parties and senior government officials.
National anthems of the two countries were played when the Turkish Prime Minister arrived in the hall of the National Assembly.
The proceedings of the special joint session started with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran.
Courtesy www.geo.tv