Turkey to work with Sindh govt in urban transport, waste management.

KARACHI -- Pakistan's relationship with Turkey pre-dates the independence of both states, said Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah addressing inaugural ceremony of new building of Turkish Consulate here in Clifton on Thursday.

He said that under the British rule, the Muslims of India regarded the Ottoman Sultan as their Caliph and Muslim freedom fighters led the Khilafat Movement to collect donations, assisting their Turkish brethren in their struggle for independence. During Turkey's War of Independence from 1919 to 1923, the Muslims of British India extended their unflinching support to their Turkish brothers by sending financial assistance to the Ottoman Empire, the CM said.

The CM said that Turkey and Pakistan did not just share strong diplomatic relations but also deep economic, religious, cultural and military ties. 'Turkey was amongst the first few countries that recognised the independent state of Pakistan and supported Pakistan's bid to gain UN membership,' he said and added, 'Republic of Turkey has expressed its unequivocal and categorical support and solidarity with Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir.'

The CM said that the Pak-Turkey Strategic Economic Framework had led to billions of dollars of trade and investment between the two countries, particularly in areas of transport, telecommunications, manufacturing and tourism.

Turkish minister agrees to send investors to Sindh for exploring investment opportunities

'Both countries are founding members of the Economic Cooperation Organization and also a part of the Developing-8 Countries,' he said and added, 'With the Turkey-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement underway, we can foresee our bilateral trade to achieve new heights. According to CM, Pak-Turk schools had played a key role in...