ANKARA/KARACHI, Pakistan

Türkiye and Pakistan on Wednesday commemorated the 75th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.

Sapling plantation ceremonies were held in foreign ministries of both countries to mark the event, according to official statements.

Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the tree plantation ceremony was held in the ministry was hosted by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Faruk Kaymakci in Ankara.

The ceremony was attended by Pakistan's Ambassador to Turkey Yousaf Junaid, officials from the Pakistan Embassy, and Turkish diplomats.

Kaymakci, in his remarks, highlighted the two countries’ support for each other during “critical times,” as the relationship evolved from a strategic perspective.

He hoped that this special relationship would continue to grow from "strength to strength."

Ambassador Junaid, for his part, recalled that the relationship between the two nations, described as “two hearts one soul” by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was much older than 75 years.

He underscored the long tradition of mutual support on all core issues, which testified to the enviable amity existing between the two sides.

He expressed satisfaction with the existing "robust" institutional frameworks in place to move the relationship forward, citing economic and connectivity opportunities, as well as the recently signed Trade in Goods Agreement, as harbingers of a new future for this relationship.

The ceremony was followed by a meeting between the deputy foreign minister and Pakistan's envoy.

The two sides took stock of Sharif's recent "successful" visit to Istanbul and agreed to follow up on the decisions made during the tour, the statement added.

Meanwhile, a similar ceremony was held at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad hosted by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar.

Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Mehmet Pacaci, and other senior embassy officials attended the event.

Addressing the ceremony, Khar noted that Ankara and Islamabad have similar positions on a variety of regional and global issues, and have always stood alongside one another in difficult times.

She highlighted Turkish companies' recent investments in Pakistan in a variety of sectors, including infrastructure and health, with the hope that Islamabad will attract additional investments from Türkiye in the future.

The two sides are committed to increasing bilateral trade volume to $5 billion over the next three years, she added.

Khar expressed gratitude to Ankara for its financial and technical assistance during the recent super floods that inundated a third of Pakistan, saying her countrymen have always been proud of their Turk brothers.​​​​​​​

Pakistani envoy visits mausoleum of Ataturk after presenting credentials to President

The newly appointed ambassador of Pakistan to Türkiye, Yousaf Junaid visited the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk on Friday to pay respect and tribute to the founder of the Republic of Türkiye.

As a part of the official ceremony, the ambassador accompanied by family and embassy officers laid wreath on Ataturk’s tomb. After wreath laying, the ambassador recorded his remarks in the guest book. 

The ambassador had presented his credentials to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday.