Tag: Tayyip Erdogan

  • Tayyip Erdogan congratulates Asif Zardari on becoming president

    Tayyip Erdogan congratulates Asif Zardari on becoming president

    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called newly-elected president Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday to congratulate him on becoming the head of state.

    The President’s Secretariat said in a statement that both leaders talked about important issues and agreed to work together for the betterment of the countries.

    President Zardari also thanked Erdogan for his phone call and best wishes.

    “President Asif Ali Zardari wished a happy Ramadan to the Turkish nation and desired to see the role of Turkish women in the Islamic world,” read the statement.

    He also expressed a desire to invite the Turkish President to Pakistan for a visit soon.

    Asif Zardari became president for the second time with a big majority on Saturday. He got 411 votes from parliament and the four assemblies.

    Besides the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the newly elected president had the backing of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-Pakistan), and other smaller parties.

  • ‘Unless we get substantial relief how can the world expect from us to stand on our own feet? It is simply impossible’: PM Shehbaz

    ‘Unless we get substantial relief how can the world expect from us to stand on our own feet? It is simply impossible’: PM Shehbaz

    In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif highlighted the damage caused by floods and urged that the world to pay more attention to the crisis.

    The premier said, “What the world has done is commendable but it is far from meeting our needs. We can’t do it alone”. He stressed that flood losses are estimated to be at $30 billion.

    “Unless the world comes up with billions of dollars for relief, rehabilitation, for building resilient infrastructure, things will not come back to normal. And I need to put the economy back on track and put millions of people back in their homes,” he told Bloomberg.

    “Unless we get substantial relief, how can the world expect us to stand on our own feet”, he asked. “It is simply impossible. The world has to stand by us”.

    He reiterated that although Pakistan contributes very little to carbon emission, the country is among the top ten most vulnerable countries to climate change, adding that around 1,500 people had died in the situation.

    Talking about the economic situation of the country, he said that Pakistan recently signed a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under “very tough” conditions, including taxes on petroleum and electricity.

    He went on to say that several world leaders had talked about the devastation in Pakistan.

    Recalling his meetings with the world leaders, he said that he is “very grateful” to United States (US) President Joe Biden for speaking about Pakistan’s plight. He added that Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and France’s Emmanuel Macron had also done the same.

    The premier was of the view that such action from the world shows the intentions and sincerity of global leaders. While saying that, he added that “But I think it should come very fast because time is running out and we are racing against time”.

  • ‘In what capacity did Shehbaz take his son to a state dinner?’ Twitterati question Suleman Shehbaz’s presence in Turkey

    ‘In what capacity did Shehbaz take his son to a state dinner?’ Twitterati question Suleman Shehbaz’s presence in Turkey

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif’s son Suleman Shehbaz has been in the limelight ever since his picture with President Tayyip Erdogan and the first lady from his father’s recent trip surfaced on the internet.

    Suleman Shehbaz, who has been accused of money laundering and assets beyond means, was present in Turkey, along with his father Shehbaz. His wife shared the picture of their dinner on Twitter which was heavily slammed by netizens.

    Twitterati questioned Suleman’s presence on an official trip.

    https://twitter.com/rabiaisrar38/status/1532374495306076161?s=20&t=AqOHY81s9F53RgIcK62vmQ

    Shehbaz’s three-day visit to Turkey too gathered criticism and was deemed that the duration and timing of the trip is rather unnecessary.

    The government before leaving gave ads of the trip to various newspapers. Twitterati questioned whether it was necessary to give ads

  • Saudi Arabia suggests citizens ‘boycott everything Turkish’ after Erdogan’s accusations

    Saudi authorities called upon citizens to “boycott everything Turkish” following a statement by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan where he accused some Gulf countries of pursuing policies that were destabilising the region, Gulf News reported.

    “The boycott of everything Turkish, whether on the level of import, investment or tourism, is the responsibility of every Saudi — trader and consumer — in response to the continued hostility of the Turkish government against our leadership, our country and our citizens,” Saudi Arabia’s Chamber of Commerce head Ajlan Al Ajlan said.

    In addition to accusing some Gulf countries of targeting Turkey and following policies that led to instability, the Turkish president had, during an address to the country’s General Assembly, also said: “It should not be forgotten that the countries in question did not exist yesterday, and probably will not exist tomorrow; however, we will continue to keep our flag flying in this region forever, with the permission of Allah.”

    Relations between Saudi Arabia and Turkey have been thorny especially since the brutal murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi that took place in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.

    Erdogan has said the order to murder Khashoggi came from “the highest levels” of the Saudi government but has never directly blamed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is widely believed to be behind the gruesome murder.

    Earlier this week, Turkey indicted six Saudi suspects in Khashoggi’s murder case. None of the suspects are in Turkey and will be tried in absentia. Twenty Saudi nationals are already on trial in an Istanbul court for Khashoggi’s killing.

    The indictment came weeks after a Saudi court overturned five death sentences issued after a closed-door trial in Saudi Arabia that ended last year, sentencing them to 20 years in prison instead.

    Recently, Erdogan also condemned the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain’s decision to normalise ties with Israel. After the announcement of normalisation of ties between UAE and Israel, Erdogan had warned Turkey could suspend diplomatic relations with the Gulf state in response.

    Turkey has had diplomatic relations with Israel for decades, but under President Erdogan, has positioned itself as a champion of the Palestinians.

  • Indians are having a meltdown over Aamir Khan’s meeting with Turkish first lady Emine Erdoğan

    Aamir Khan, who is currently in Turkey for the shooting of his film ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’, has met the Turkish first lady, Emine Erdoğan, drawing strong reactions from Indians, who are not happy with the meeting that took place Saturday, India’s Independence day. 

    According to reports, Aamir had requested the meeting, as he wanted to update Erdoğan about the work of Paani Foundation, a non-profit organisation set up by the actor and his wife Kiran Rao.

    The main reason behind Indians’ outrage was that Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan has always condemned Indian brutality in occupied Kashmir and extended his support to Pakistan and Kashmiris following the troubled valley’s illegal annexation.  

    The Kashmir conflict can be solved not by conflict or oppression, but on the basis of justice and fairness, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had said in his address to Pakistani parliament in Islamabad.

    The Turkish leader had also called President of Pakistan on Eidul Azha and shared their views on different issues.

    A tweet by the president’s office read, “President Dr Arif Alvi and President Erdoğan exchanged Eidul Azha greetings in a telephonic conversation. Important matters, including Kashmir and COVID-19 were discussed.”

     With Aamir meeting Erdoğan, Indians called him “anti-national” and expressed their disappointment.

    https://twitter.com/tarun_priyanshu/status/1295260188228771842?s=20
    https://twitter.com/Bhavana17851510/status/1294998721143476227?s=20
    https://twitter.com/Gyana46465996/status/1294995521082241024?s=20

    Some also came forward in the defence of the actor and posted pictures of Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi with the Turkish leader.

    https://twitter.com/Nadeem_gaur92/status/1295076278769455109?s=20
  • Turkey with Pakistan on Kashmir: president

    Turkey with Pakistan on Kashmir: president

    President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has assured Turkey’s support for Pakistan’s stance on the Kashmir dispute, President Dr Arif Alvi has said.

    According to a statement by the President’s Office, the two counterparts held a telephonic conversation in which they “exchanged Eidul Azha greetings” besides discussing the Kashmir issue and the coronavirus pandemic.

    President Alvi said that occupation regimes were continuing their “extreme repression” in Palestine and Indian occupied Kashmir even during the coronavirus pandemic.

    “[The] Turkish president assured that his country would continue to support Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir as both brotherly countries have similar goals.”

    Erdogan also invited Alvi to visit Turkey after the end of the pandemic.

    While congratulating Erdogan on the reopening of Istanbul’s historical Hagia Sophia as a mosque after nearly nine decades, President Alvi “reiterated Pakistan’s steadfast support to Turkey on its legitimate interests and assured that Pakistan will continue its policy to provide Turkey with all possible support”.

    The Turkish leader also called Prime Minister Imran Khan and the two leaders shared their views on a range of issues.

    The prime minister too felicitated Erdogan on reopening of the Hagia Sophia for prayers and told him that “millions of Pakistanis watched it live on television”, according to a tweet by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

    During their conversation, Prime Minister Imran recalled Erdogan’s visit to Pakistan for the sixth session of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) in February and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to “further fortify bilateral cooperation” in all areas.

    “Pakistan deeply appreciates Turkey’s steadfast support for the just cause of Kashmir, which President Erdogan reaffirmed during his address to the joint session of parliament in February 2020,” the PMO said.

    Erdogan’s contact with the Pakistani leadership comes days before the world marks one year since India revoked the semi-autonomous status of occupied Kashmir and split it into two federal territories, causing further determination in New Delhi’s ties with Islamabad.

  • New heights of friendship: Turkish Airlines to manage Pakistan’s fruit, vegetable exports after PIA ban

    New heights of friendship: Turkish Airlines to manage Pakistan’s fruit, vegetable exports after PIA ban

    As Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight operations in Europe remain suspended, Turkish Airlines has offered its services to transport fruit and vegetable exports to other countries, Profit reported.

    According to fruit and vegetable exporters, Turkish Airlines will charge lower freight charges for transport of Pakistani fruits and vegetables to England, Germany and other western countries and has assured that it will facilitate the promotion of the same. 

    Earlier the European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA) imposed a six-month ban on PIA’s flight operations to Europe after reports emerged that several PIA pilots held dubious flying licences. 

    Among other issues, the ban created problems for the export of Pakistani fruits and vegetables. In this regard,  the Pakistani Embassy in Istanbul Commercial Counselor Bilal Khan Pasha met with Turkish Airlines Chairman Ilker Ayci who assured that Turkish Airlines will resume its flight operation in Pakistan and will help in the export of fruits and vegetables to the European Union (EU).

    Moreover, a delegation of exporters led by Waheed Ahmed, the head of All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) met with Turkish Airlines General Manager (GM) Gurhan Sozen.

    READ: Embarrassment for aviation minister as Civil Aviation Authority says all licences issued are real

    According to Waheed Ahmed, PIA had recently reduced freight charges in order to assist exporters to reduce cost of export shipments, however, after the six month ban on PIA, exporters will have to use the services of foreign airlines who might charge higher freight charges.

    According to exporters, during the meeting with Turkish Airlines GM the need for reduction in freight charges and provision of special handling facilities for perishable cargo to facilitate the export of Pakistani fruits and vegetables to Europe, the UK and Canada was stressed.

  • Twitter slammed in China, Turkey, Russia after removing ‘manipulative’ accounts

    Twitter has removed over 200,000 handles for spreading pro-China and Russia messages while also boosting support for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

    https://twitter.com/TwitterSafety/status/1271186240323432452?s=20

    The company said “a core network” of 23,750 highly active Chinese accounts had been removed, along with another 150,000 “amplifier accounts”.

    Amplifier accounts share content to increase engagement that increases word-of-mouth exposure.

    Twitter said the Chinese network had links to an earlier state-backed operation dismantled last year by Twitter, Facebook and Google’s YouTube, which had been pushing misleading narratives about political dynamics in Hong Kong.

    Twitter said 23,750 accounts were the main focus while other accounts were identified as helping to boost the messages.

    Twitter also revealed it has shut down more than a thousand Russian-based misinformation accounts.

    In an official statement on fake Turkish Twitter accounts, they said that “those accounts were fake profiles designed to support the president and were single-handedly managed by a central authority”.

    However, Erdogan’s Communications Director Fahrettin Altun denied the allegations through his official Twitter handle while stating that it was an “attempt to smear the Turkish government and a popular political movement, which was unacceptable”.

    In general, the entire network was involved in a range of manipulative and coordinated activities. They were tweeting predominantly in Chinese, Russian and Turkish languages and spreading geopolitical narratives for political agendas.

    Last week, Twitter also accused United States (US) President Donald Trump of making false claims in some of his posts, although the platform has come under fire for not removing coronavirus misinformation.

    Earlier this week, the company said it was trialing a new “read before you retweet” pop-up aimed to promote “informed discussions”.

    A message will appear on articles that users share without actually following the link to the article.

  • ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul is a gift to Pakistan from Erdoğan’

    ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul is a gift to Pakistan from Erdoğan’

    Turkish historic drama series Diriliş: Ertuğrul has been trending ever since its first episode aired on PTV Home. Pakistanis are loving the drama series and it has become a sensation in the country to the point that PTV is now aiming to set a new record with the series.

    In an exclusive interview with The Current, Senator and Senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Faisal Javed Khan revealed that the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gifted the drama series to Pakistan as a goodwill gesture.

    “When President Erdogan met PM Imran Khan, he gifted the series to him as a goodwill gesture,” said Khan, adding: “PTV did not have to purchase the drama or its rights. TRT gave the drama free of cost to PTV.”

    It is pertinent to mention here that President Erdoğan himself is a huge fan of the series and has often visited the sets of the drama series and hosted the drama’s creators and cast.

    Senator Faisal Javed further remarked that the youth nowadays have stopped reading books and enjoy watching videos more, which is why the best way to impart knowledge on history to the youth is through dramas, films and music. He said this was the aim of PM Imran Khan when he requested the state-owned channel to air Diriliş: Ertuğrul.

    Meanwhile, addressing Shaan’s concerns, Faisal said that he has worked extensively with Shaan and discussed in detail the situation of the Pakistani entertainment industry. He said that like other industries, the previous governments have not paid much heed to the entertainment industry as well, which is why it is still underdeveloped. He also revealed that the government is working on a policy for the film and entertainment industry and that he hopes that it will be implemented soon. Khan also said that Bollywood films will not be returning to Pakistani screens anytime soon.

    Khan further said that Islamic history has been extensively explored by different cinemas across the world including Turkey and Iran, which is why it doesn’t make any sense to spend further resources on the subject.

    Read more – PM Khan calls out Bollywood for spreading vulgarity

    Watch the complete interview here:

  • ‘Pakistan, the friend in need’: Millions of COVID-19 drugs to be exported to US, UK, KSA, others

    ‘Pakistan, the friend in need’: Millions of COVID-19 drugs to be exported to US, UK, KSA, others

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has announced the federal cabinet’s decision to send chloroquine tablets — an anti-malarial medicine that some studies found has a strong antiviral effect on COVID-19 — to “friendly nations” to help them in their time of need.

    Addressing a press conference after the weekly cabinet meeting, she said that one million chloroquine tablets will be sent to Saudi Arabia and the United States each, 500,000 to Turkey and Italy each, five million to the United Kingdom, 700,000 to Kazakhstan and 300,000 to Qatar.

    Firdous revealed that leaders of some countries had called Prime Minister Imran Khan and expressed a desire to import the tablets from Pakistan following some encouraging results in treating the coronavirus.

    “Pakistan has always been asking these countries for something or the other. So, for the sake of humanity and to improve Pakistan’s credibility and face value, this is a good chance to help them in this time of need,” she said.

    She also said that Pakistan had some 40 million tablets in stock and possessed the raw material to make even more.