ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan received telephone call from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday. The two leaders exchanged felicitations on the advent of the holy month of Ramazan.

They discussed issues of mutual interest, including further strengthening of bilateral relations in all areas.

In the regional context, the prime minister stressed the importance of a negotiated political settlement of the conflict in Afghanistan ahead of recently announced planned US withdrawal. He said Pakistan had fully supported and facilitated the US-Taliban peace agreement and the subsequent initiation of intra-Afghan negotiations.

The prime minister stressed that the intra-Afghan negotiations provided a historic opportunity which must be seized by the Afghan leadership to achieve an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement.

Appreciating Turkey’s role, PM Khan said Pakistan would continue to extend all possible support to the efforts for a political solution for durable peace and stability in Afghanistan.

It was agreed that the momentum of high-level exchanges would be continued to transform Pakistan-Turkish bilateral relations into a strategic economic partnership.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2021