TURKEY-PAKISTAN RELATIONS: TRENDS AND TRAJECTORIES

Abstract

Turkey has faced many ups and downs like economically, politically, socially and in many other aspects, it has faced many military coups. However, Turkey and Pakistan enjoy their diplomatic relations since the birth of Pakistan in 1947, Turkey was one of those countries which quickly recognized Pakistan after its creation, and it supported the successful bid to become a member of United Nations. The relations between the two countries became increasingly closed due to the cultural religious and geopolitical links between these countries, founder of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah expressed his admiration to Turkish founding leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and also desired to develop Pakistan on the Turkish model of modernism, and before the independence of Pakistan Muslims of British India supported the khilafat movement in modern day Turkey too. Pakistan has an embassy in Ankara and a consulate general in Istanbul and an Honorary consulate in Izmir and on the other hand Turkey has an embassy in Islamabad, a consulate general in Karachi and honorary consulates in Lahore, Peshawar, Sialkot and Faisalabad. And Both of these countries support each other economically and politically, Turkey and Pakistan also participate in the Afghan peace process on every forum. Ever since the Islamist conservative justice and development party (AKP) came into power, turkey seemed to be more interested in South Asia in economic manner, Turkey also supports Pakistan on global level on the UN platforms and in OIC and it especially supports Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir and the end game in Afghanistan and the problems of Uyghur Muslims, and both the countries take stances for Muslim world issuesTurkish president Recep Tayyab Erdogan was one of those four world leaders who gave his speech in Pakistani parliament. Pakistani and Turkish governments are also more conscious about the third most sacred place of Muslims in Palestine which is “MASJID AL AQSA” and both of these countries are trying to make a force to tackle with the present ongoing issue in east Jerusalem.