THIS is apropos of the article ‘Turkey this Christmas’ (Dec 18) by Ash’ar Rehman. Turkey’s political, cultural and economic influence is increasing across the Muslim world, and Pakistan is no exception to this. Turkey, one of the fastest growing economies of the world, is the world’s 15th largest GDP based on purchase power parity.

Turkish engineering products are in use across Europe and the Middle East, thanks to secular and liberal traditions on which the Republic of Turkey was established by charismatic and iconic leadership of Mustafa Kemal.

Turkey is rather the only Muslim country that has effectively laid ‘the deep state’ to rest, once and for all, through the judicial trial of former dictator Kenan Evren and other generals involved in the military coups.

This will ultimately culminate into the supremacy of the elected civilian leadership and strengthening of the democratic traditions.

Turkey’s unflinching support for the recent Arab uprisings has won it deep appreciation from the post-revolutionary leaderships of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, who look towards Turkey as a role model. Hence, there is a lot to learn from Turkish experience for all the Muslim countries, including Pakistan.

MALIK WAQAS NAWAZ Karachi