Tag: Turkey

  • 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.

  • Pakistan to host World Tourism Forum 2021

    Pakistan to host World Tourism Forum 2021

    Special Assistant to the PM for Overseas Pakistanis Chairman National Tourism Board, Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari has announced that World Tourism Forum 2021 will be held in Pakistan.

    Speaking to a private news channel, the PM’s aide said that it will be a five-day event with over 1,000 foreign visitors expected to attend the event.

    “The World Tourism Forum will have three days for conference and two days for tourism”, revealed the SAPM.

    He added that the event had been planned for this year but postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    Bukhari further said that over 32 new three-star to four-star hotels will be constructed in Pakistan in the next two years. He said that the government will renovate PTDC buildings and motels across the country to boost tourism.

    The minister said that the government had shut down Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) operations to restructure it.

    “We are making changes in PTDC to restructure it in accordance with global best practices,” he stated.

    Earlier, Bukhari had said the government would be bringing reforms in the PTDC rather than closing it down.

    The World Tourism Forum is an organisation based in Istanbul, Turkey dedicated to developing tourism around the world with its annual meetings.

  • Hadiqa Kiani collaborates with Turkish singer to honour Kashmiri martyrs

    Hadiqa Kiani collaborates with Turkish singer to honour Kashmiri martyrs

    Hadiqa Kiani has collaborated with Turkish singer Ali Tolga for a song dedicated to Kashmiri martyrs and those during the failed coup attempt in Turkey in 2016.

    The song titled Daimi Bahar, which means ‘eternal spring’ opens with the line: “In everlasting memory of our beloved martyrs: July 13, 1931, Kashmir Martyr’s Day, July 15 2016, Failed Turkish Coup Attempt.”

    The song features lyrics in both Urdu and Turkish, with Hadiqa singing in both the languages.

    The music video features some stunning shots of Indian-occupied Kashmir in all its snow-covered glory, clips of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan, the plight of the Kashmiris and the struggle against the failed coup in Turkey back in 2016.

    https://youtu.be/X6z1ET4O0GY

    Daimi Bahar hits all the rights notes and your heart goes out to all those suffering in the picturesque valley.

    Kiani has often raised her voice against Indian atrocities in Kashmir. Earlier, the singer had said that the Kashmir issue is no longer Pakistan vs India but is in fact an issue for humanity, for families, “for the greater good”.

  • Ertuğrul Ghazi statue taken down in Turkey for looking like Engin Altan Düzyatan

    Ertuğrul Ghazi statue taken down in Turkey for looking like Engin Altan Düzyatan

    A monument of Ertuğrul Ghazi was recently taken down in Turkey for bearing resemblance to actor Engin Altan Düzyatan, who played the character of Ertuğrul in the hit series, instead of the Muslim hero himself.

    People living in the area and social media users noticed the resemblance, following which an investigation has been launched to figure out what happened.

    “We were disturbed by the fact that the bust of Ertuğrul Gazi resembles Engin Altan Düzyatan, the leading actor in the Resurrection Ertuğrul series and the same day the bust in question was removed,” said the municipality in a written statement.

    “The necessary investigation has been initiated about those responsible for negligence. We thank all the public for the sensitivity they have shown,” the statement added.

    Meanwhile, The Current did some research and found a painting of what the real Ertugrul might have looked like.

    Ertuğrul Ghazi led a small band of warriors under the leadership of Anatolian Seljuk sultan in the mid-13th century. With his death in 1280, the leadership of his small tribe passed onto his son Osman, who is known to have established the Ottoman state in 1299.

    Ertuğrul Gazi’s life has been very popular in Turkey. and it has not only taken Turkey but many countries, especially Pakistan recently, by storm.

    According to the state-run Pakistan Television (PTV), 133 million people have so far watched the historical series based on his life from April 25- May 14. Also, its episodes are trending on YouTube and Netflix Pakistan every day.

  • VIDEO: Life-size statue of Ertuğrul erected in Lahore

    VIDEO: Life-size statue of Ertuğrul erected in Lahore

    As fever of hit Turkish series ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’ continues to grip Pakistanis ever since it was first aired by PTV on Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s directions, a statue of Ertuğrul, father of Osman I — the founder of the Ottoman dynasty –, has been erected in Lahore.

    According to a report by Independent Urdu, the statue has been installed in the provincial capital of Punjab’s Maraghzar Colony near Thokar Niaz Baig to honour the Muslim hero.

    The statue made of fibre and iron was brought in from Kamalia city of Toba Tek Singh district and other similar sculptures will be erected in other parts of the colony as well, the report said.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    https://twitter.com/nailainayat/status/1268644498877427713?s=09

    Speaking to the media outlet, secretary general of the colony said that they were even planning to name the square, where the statue was installed, after Ertuğrul.

    According to Ottoman tradition, Ertuğrul was the son of Suleyman Shah, leader of the Kayı tribe of Oghuz Turks, who fled from western Central Asia to Anatolia to escape the Mongol conquests, but he may instead have been the son of a Gündüz Alp.

    The hit Turkish historical fiction ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’ that revolves around the life of a group of Turkic nomads in the pre-Ottoman era, has led to Ertuğrul — the protagonist of the series — being hailed a hero by Pakistanis.

  • ‘Ertuğrul’ star thanks Neelam Muneer for her ‘nice compliments’

    ‘Ertuğrul’ star thanks Neelam Muneer for her ‘nice compliments’

    While on one hand stars are debating over whether Turkish series Diriliş: Ertuğrul should be aired in Pakistan or not, on the other hand, we are witnessing a heartwarming exchange between actors of both the countries.

    In a recent Instagram post, Neelam Muneer discussed how watching the series is “like reading a book which is full of great history of Muslims”.

    “Even though I respect views of everyone in my fraternity but I feel it’s not the matter of Turkish content or Pakistani content,” wrote Neelam. “We should look beyond and understand that its Islamic content, which has so much wisdom and teaches us the history and the values of Muslims.”

    She added, “Let’s just feel proud of our Islamic heritage and get motivated and also create content in Pakistan which we should also be proud of.”

    Neelam’s post caught the attention of Gülsim Ali, who plays Aslıhan Hatun, younger sister of Ural Bey and Aliyar Bey, in the super hit series.

    “Thank you for the nice compliments,” replied Ali. “Love you and your heart is so beautiful, wish you all the best.”

    Read more – Halime Sultan sends her love to Pakistan

    The exchange did not end there. Neelam responded and hoped that Gülsim will be able to visit Pakistan one day, who said she would love to.

    Set in 13th century Anatolia and based on the struggle of Ertuğrul Gazi, father of Osman I – the founder of the Ottoman dynasty, Diriliş: Ertuğrul has been trending in the country ever since its first episode aired on PTV Home. Pakistanis are loving the drama series and it has become a sensation in the country. According to PTV, 133.38 million people have watched the drama series from April 25- May 14. PTV’s YouTube channel has also registered an exponential rise in its viewership with 3.5 million subscribers and episodes trending every day on the social media platform.

    In an exclusive interview with The Current, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Faisal Javed Khan revealed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had gifted the drama series to Pakistan as a goodwill gesture.

  • Pakistanis for ‘boycotting UAE’ after Turkish journalist highlights Emirates’ relations with India

    Pakistanis for ‘boycotting UAE’ after Turkish journalist highlights Emirates’ relations with India

    Pakistani Twitterati on Wednesday eagerly jumped on the Turkey bandwagon to trend “#BoycottUAE [United Arab Emirates]” after Turkish journalist Ali Keskin asked them to do so while seeking sanctions on the Gulf country over its strengthening relationship with India among other reasons.

    Raising objections apparently over Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi being given UAE’s highest civilian award and the country sending medical supplies to India amid the pandemic, the journalist alleged that Emirates was biased towards India and also silent on the Kashmir issue while Turkey had stood by Pakistan on the same.

    https://twitter.com/alikeskin_tr/status/1262756828284252161
    https://twitter.com/alikeskin_tr/status/1262757376538447879

    This led to a war of words over the micro-blogging website. Reactions to the trend were myriad, with many netizens highlighting Pakistan’s outstanding debts to the UAE and how it has been, along with China, among the main avenues for Pakistan to seek bailouts.

    https://twitter.com/Muhammad_Adil_1/status/1262765905198616576
    https://twitter.com/TheZaiduLeaks/status/1262773114305462277
    https://twitter.com/PTItigresss/status/1262767308193140736

    Indians also reacted to the tweet:

    https://twitter.com/MohitJamwal77/status/1262990675781382152

    It may be noted that the Turkish tweet came amid UAE’s growing support for warlord Khalifa Haftar’s forces after they criticised Turkey’s actions in the Eastern Mediterranean, extending support for Libya’s legitimate government along with countries like Israel and Russia. Pakistani netizens, on the other hand, jumped on the bandwagon agreeing that Pakistan should impose sanctions against UAE when its relations with India were highlighted.

    Pakistan, however, has been a heavy borrower of the UAE, and owes the country $30 billion dollars.

  • Halime Sultan sends her love to Pakistan

    Halime Sultan sends her love to Pakistan

    Turkish drama Diriliş: Ertuğrul has taken Pakistan by storm ever since it was released in the country in Urdu on Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s advice to “help youngsters connect with their roots”.

    As praise pours in for the historical fiction over the internet by both celebrities and the general public, fans have started following the show’s actors on social media. While a handful of people were disappointed with the real lives of the actor, many sent their praises and love to the actors.

    Read more – Pakistanis lose it over ‘un-Islamic’ Instagram of ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’ star

    Esra Bilgiç, who essays the role of Halime Sultan, Ertuğrul’s wife has now responded to Pakistanis fans and thanked them for the love they have sent her way. She also added that she would love to meet all her fans in Pakistan once the pandemic is over and the situation normalises.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CAQEy7bjYiU/

    Similarly Gülsim Ali, who plays Aslihan Hatun in the third edition of Diriliş: Ertuğrul also expressed her desire to visit Pakistan once the coronavirus pandemic is over.

    “I’ve never been in Pakistan before but I hope one day I’ll be there to meet with you after this pandemic period,” she wrote on Instagram.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CASvq4flSDN/
  • Fans spot ‘Virat Kohli’, ‘Usman Shinwari’ in Ertuğrul

    Fans spot ‘Virat Kohli’, ‘Usman Shinwari’ in Ertuğrul

    As Diriliş: Ertuğrul fever continues to grip Pakistanis, fans have now started pointing out how two of the show’s characters look a bit too much like two South Asian cricketing stars… and to be honest, the resemblance is truly uncanny!

    READ: Pakistanis lose it over ‘un-Islamic’ Instagram of ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’ star

    While many took to Twitter to point out how much a character from the show resembled Pakistan’s left-arm fast bowler Usman Shinwari…

    …another cricketing star, Mohammad Amir, cannot seem to help but wonder if Indian skipper Virat Kohli is also there in the series.

    While the Indian batsman is yet to respond, here’s what Twitterati are saying:

    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, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Faisal Javed Khan revealed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had gifted the drama series to Pakistan as a goodwill gesture.

  • Turkish mosque turned into temporary ‘supermarket’ for those in need

    Turkish mosque turned into temporary ‘supermarket’ for those in need

    At the entrance of an Istanbul mosque, racks usually reserved for the shoes of the faithful are loaded with pasta packages, oil bottles, biscuits — like a supermarket. But they aren’t for sale. Instead, they are destined for the needy, hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

    The sign on the mosque’s window ask anyone, who can, to leave something, and says those in need can take something.

    Abdulsamet Cakir, 33, imam of the Dedeman mosque in the Sariyer district, came up with this idea of reaching out to the poor via the place of worship after Turkey suspended mass prayers in mosques until the risk of outbreak passes, AFP reported.

    The young imam, who takes the products from the floor and places them on the shelves at the entrance, said he was inspired by a donation culture in the Ottoman period called “charity stone” — a small pillar stone erected at certain locations of the city to connect rich people with the poor.

    In this Ottoman system aimed at giving charity in a dignified manner without offending the needy, people with means would leave whatever amount they wanted in a cavity on the top of the charity stone. Those who were in need would then take the amount they needed and leave the rest for others.

    “After the coronavirus pandemic, we have thought about what we can do to help our brothers in need,” said Cakir, who would already help the poor in his neighbourhood before the outbreak.

    “With the inspiration from our ancestors’ ‘charity stone’ culture, we decided to fill the racks in our mosque with the help from our brothers with means,” he added.

    Cakir hangs a list on the wall of the mosque where citizens who need help write their names and telephone numbers.

    The imam later sends the list to local authorities who check whether the names are really in need and his team then sends a message that they can visit the mosque and receive whatever they need: eight items at maximum.

    The mosque has been providing services for two weeks and reaches out to 120 people in need per day. And the list includes over 900 people.

    A maximum of two people wearing masks and gloves enter the mosque and take what they need, while others wait outside, standing a few paces from each other.

    “We spread the services through the day. We call 15 people for each half an hour so that we respect social distancing and do not cause big queues,” the imam said. “We are doing our best to help our sisters and brothers in the best possible way without offending them.”

    The mosque does not accept cash donations and instead receives aid packages and the mosques shelves are full of products sent from all over Turkey and even abroad.

    “Producers also donate. A miller brings in flour, a baker brings in bread, a water distributor brings in water,” Cakir said, adding, “Everyone does whatever they can to help people in need. For example, a brother who lives in France did online shopping and directed the aid to our mosque.”

    People, receiving the aid, are very thankful to the mosque for arranging this service. They said that due to the coronavirus lockdown, they are facing unemployment and with Ramzan a few days away, the situation appeared to be very bleak.

    Turkey’s official death toll from the virus now stands at 2,259 after 119 more deaths were reported on Tuesday, and major cities including Istanbul will be under lockdown for four days from Thursday.