Pakistan honors Turkish patriots who foiled coup bid

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan

Pakistani and Turkish officials on Friday commemorated the lives of Turkish patriots who were martyred during the July 15, 2016 defeated coup.

"There were major turning points in the history of each country and July 15 was a turning point for Turkey," said Turkish Consul General Emir Ozbey while addressing an event in Lahore, northeastern city of Pakistan.

The event was organized by the Turkish Consulate in Lahore and Yunus Emre Institute (YEE) to commemorate the martyred of July 15 failed coup attempt.

The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured on July 15, 2016.

The event was attended by Punjab provincial Information Minister Samsam Bukhari, former Pakistani ambassador Shaukat Haroon, Ankara-based Haci Bayram Veli University Dean of the Faculty of Communication Dr. Zakir Avsar and other Pakistani officials, diplomats and academicians.

"Turkish soldiers, police and people were sacrificed their lives to protect their country and democracy and they defeated the putschists," Ozbay recalled.

He said FETO penetrated its members in different sectors including education, charity organizations, trade unions and banking sector and was collecting money through donation and schools network.

"The investigation carried out after the coup attempt has proved that FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen was behind that bloody coup attempt," Ozbey added

The speakers termed the July 15 failed coup attempt a grave human rights violation where innocent people were martyred by the plotters.

Addressing to the event, Avsar said he was in Ankara on the evening of July 15 and saw the cruel acts of FETO terrorists.

"No one believed that our own soldiers would shoot us, would bomb their own parliament, symbolic structures and other strategic points," Avsar said, adding FETO terrorists did all that.

In the previous coups Turkish people lost a lot and this time they opposed, resisted and saved their country from another destruction, Avsar said.

The Pakistani minister praised the Turkish people who defeated the coup attempt and saved their country from undemocratic forces.

"I appreciate the Turkish people who give sacrifices for their country and saved their future," Samsam Bukhari told the participants

Turkey and Pakistan have good relations and both countries always stood with each other in every difficult time, he added.

The provincial minister said that Turkey and its people have special place in their heart and he felt proud to have a good friend like Turkey.

A short film about the defeated coup attempt was also screened at the event while an exhibition featuring Anadolu Agency footage and photos of July 15 coup attempt also opened at YEE Lahore Turkish Cultural Center.