ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq called on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Tuesday and briefed him about the proceedings of the 10th session of the Parliamentary Union of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (PUIC) being held in Istanbul, where Pakistan presented a draft resolution condemning publication of controversial caricatures.

Mr Sadiq is heading the parliamentary delegation from Pakistan.

Talking to him, President Erdogan said Turkey and Pakistan enjoyed exemplary relations which were not affected by the change of governments.

The special relations should be sustained through more parliamentary exchanges and people-to-people contacts, he said. He reassured every possible Turkish support to Pakistan for making the country stronger.

He expressed the hope that Pakistan would soon overcome the challenges it was facing.

Mr Erdogan said initiatives undertaken by the leaders of Turkey and Pakistan in the economic field were yielding positive results and would boost bilateral commercial ties.

Mr Sadiq conveyed the best wishes of parliamentarians and people of Pakistan. He said Turkey and Pakistan were joined together with abiding bonds of friendship and brotherhood which had withstood the test of times.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2015

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