Pakistan offers investment opportunities: Turkish envoy
Turkey's ambassador to Islamabad Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul praises relations between both countries
By Sena Guler
ANKARA
The Turkish ambassador to Pakistan called on investors back home to be aware of opportunities in Pakistan.
“China and Pakistan are carrying out the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project […] There are opportunities this [project] offers directly or indirectly to Turkish investors,” Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul, Turkish envoy to Islamabad, told Anadolu Agency.
“It aims to improve road infrastructure and energy infrastructure,” he said.
The multi-billion-dollar project aims to connect China’s northwestern Xinxiang region to Pakistan's Gwadar Port.
Yurdakul said opportunities offered by the project could benefit from joint initiatives, and Turkish companies should be more aware and eager to capitalize on them.
“The job environment there is developing day by day,” he said.
“Pakistan’s relation with China is pretty strong. On the other hand, it is a neighbor of India, which is a large market.
“Pakistan holds the key to the heart of East somehow,” he added.
Close ties with Turkey
Yurdakul said Turkey and Pakistan has very close, heartfelt relations.
“It has always been like that throughout history,” he said.
The Turkish ambassador added that Turkey needed to “keep this fire alive” by keeping high-level political ties and strengthening investments and trade.
“According to 2017 figures, the trade volume between the two countries was $600 million,” Yurdakul said, adding there was potential for more.
Regarding the formation of a new Pakistani government, Yurdakul said the close cooperation established with the former government would continue.
He also recalled that Pakistan's next prime minister Imran Khan supported Turkey in the recent crisis with the U.S.
On Aug. 1 relations between Ankara and Washington nosedived when the U.S. imposed sanctions on two Turkish Cabinet ministers after Turkey refused to release an American pastor who faces terrorism-related charges in Turkey.
Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump upped the ante by doubling U.S. tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel imports.
In response, Turkey raised tariffs on several U.S.-made goods, including alcohol and tobacco products and vehicles.
