LAHORE, Oct 26: Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer has said there was “complete unanimity between Turkey and Pakistan on the current situation in Afghanistan.”
President Sezer and Madam Semra Sezer met Punjab Governor Lt-Gen Muhammad Safdar (retired) at the Governor’s House here on Friday afternoon.
According to official sources, the Turkish president, during the meeting, recalled his in-depth talks with President General Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad on Thursday.
Earlier, welcoming the Turkish president at the Governor’s House, Gen Safdar said Pakistan and Turkey were two brotherly and friendly nations which enjoyed deep-rooted and centuries old relations.
The governor said the visit of President Sezer was a great gesture of solidarity with the people of Pakistan.
Minister-in-Waiting Omar Asghar Khan, Turkish minister of state Sukru Sina Gurel, ambassador to Pakistan Ali Vural Oktem, Pakistan ambassador to Turkey Qazi Humayun and senior officials were present at the meeting.
Earlier, a rousing welcome was accorded to the Turkish president when he arrived here in the morning on a brief visit to the provincial capital.
He was received by Governor Safdar at the Lahore Airport. Among others present at the airport were Punjab ministers Tariq Hameed, Shaheen Atiqur Rehman, Akhtar Said and Malik Aslam Khan, Lahore city district Nazim Mian Amir Mahmood, honorary consul-general of Turkey in Lahore Mian Tajammal Husain and senior civil and military officials.
Two children in traditional dresses presented bouquets to the distinguished guests as he alighted from his the plane at around 9:50am.
The entire airport area, The Mall and roads leading to the Lahore Fort and the tomb of the poet-philosopher Dr Muhammad Iqbal, were tastefully decorated with colourful buntings and banners inscribed with slogans depicting the warmth of Pakistan-Turkish relations.
Soon after their arrival, President Sezer and Madam Semra Sezer visited the historic Lahore Fort and paid their respects to Dr Muhammad Iqbal. The visiting dignitaries first visited the mausoleum of Dr Iqbal where they were received by Punjab Law Minister Khalid Ranjha and Lahore city district Naib Nazim Farooq Amjad Mir.
A Pakistan Rangers contingent presented a quarter guard on the occasion. The guests were then escorted inside the mausoleum where they laid a floral wreath and offered Fateha.
The president and his spouse were also briefed on the historical background and different sections of the Badshahi Mosque by an official of the archeological department.
The distinguished guests then drove to the 17th century Lahore Fort and visited various sections of the monument, including the Diwan-i-Khas, Diwan-i-Aam and Shish Mahal.
Recording his impression in the visitors book, President Sezer wrote: “I have been very much honoured and privileged to see exquisite examples of Pakistan culture which has many characteristics common with Turkish arts and culture.”
Later, he attended a luncheon at the Governor’s House which was attended, among others, by the members of his entourage, Minister-in-Waiting Omar Asghar Khan and members of the Punjab cabinet.
He was seen off at the airport by Governor Safdar, members of the Punjab cabinet and senior officials. He was presented guard of honour by a contingent of Pakistan Army.
Before boarding the aeroplane, the Turkish president was presented an album containing the photographs of his visit to Islamabad and Lahore by an official of the Press Information Department.—APP
