CM pays tribute to Erdogan

Invites businessmen to invest in housing sector in Punjab

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday paid tributes to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for foiling a military coup in his country last month.

At a meeting with Erdogan at President’s House in Istanbul, Sharif praised him for his courage and steadfastness. He praised Turkish president’s decision to ask his people to come out and defend democracy. He said that Turkish people and democracy had won under the leadership of Erdogan. He said the coup was a conspiracy against the development of Turkey and prosperity of the Turkish nation. He said that Turkish people had foiled this conspiracy through their unity. He said that failure of the coup had shown that Turkish people loved their political leadership and the democratic system. He said that God had rewarded Erdogan for his selfless service to his nation.

Erdogan said the coup was an attempt to derail the process of progress and prosperity in his country, but people had foiled it. He thanked the Pakistani leadership and people for supporting the Turkish leadership in this situation.

Earlier, Sharif held a meeting with a delegation of the Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKI). The delegation showed interest in investment in the housing sector of Pakistan, especially low-cost housing in the Punjab. It was agreed at the meeting that TOKI experts would visit the Punjab in October and finalise the low-cost housing project.

Sharif told the delegates that the Punjab government was working on a plan to provide low-cost houses to low-income families. He said the Punjab government would build low-cost houses with the cooperation of Turkish investors and experts. He said that a pilot project of low-cost houses would be launched at Wahdat Colony during Turkish experts’ visit to the Punjab. He said the housing sector had been growing fast in Pakistan, especially Punjab.

Sharif also had a meeting with the heads of investment companies and business houses in Istanbul. At the meeting, Turkish investors and businessmen showed interest in investment in various sectors in Pakistan. The chief minister informed them that the Punjab government was offering special incentives to foreign investors. He said that Pakistan was safer and peaceful today than before.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2016.