KARACHI: President Mohammad Ayub Khan yesterday described the summit agreement between Pakistan, Iran and Turkey as a “historic event”. Replying to a welcome address presented by the Karachi Division Muslim League at the airport, on his return, the President sincerely prayed and hoped that other Muslim countries would also join the efforts to achieve Muslim unity all over the world.

He said he was convinced during his visits to Iran and Turkey that it was the desire of not only the Governments, but also the people of those countries to achieve closer relationship between themselves and Pakistan. He was confident, he added, that he was representing the sentiments of his people while negotiating for greater unity with the leaders of Iran and Turkey.

He had been dreaming for long of Muslim unity, he said and added that now he hoped that other Muslim countries would also join the efforts that have been started in this regard.

He recounted that an attempt had been made to unite Muslims during the period of King Raza Shah, which unfortunately could not materialise. He had therefore, he said, stressed at the summit meeting at Istanbul that the agreement should not be signed unless the participating leaders had a strong desire to implement it.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2014