Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (2R) and his wife Emine Erdogan (R) receive sweets as they arrive at Aitchison College in Lahore on December 23, 2013. PHOTO: AFP
Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was bowled over by the rapturous welcome he received on Monday at the close of day one of his two-day visit.
A Turkish official told The Express Tribune that 130 government officials and businessmen, along with Erdogan’s wife and daughter, were vastly impressed by their reception in Lahore on Monday.
“Our delegation noticed that the Turkish prime minister has not received the kind of joyful welcome in other countries as he has in Pakistan,” he said, requesting anonymity.
A sumptuous lunch hosted by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif; a chestnut coloured stallion presented as a gift and emotional speeches were the highlights of the Turkish delegation’s visit.
Erdogan was welcomed by Shahbaz upon his arrival at the Lahore airport, and went via helicopter to Raiwind, all the while surveying below him the famed Metro Bus route.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2013.
COMMENTS (19)
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so u think being kind is an act of slavery? @Umer:
So u think being kind is slavery ? @Umer:
So Pakistan got another master who is ready to pay?
@Oats:
Really? How? They are just looking to make money off us like China is. We are the idiots who hire foreign companies, at huge foreign exchange expense, even for stuff which we are fully capable of doing ourselves like running bus service.
@Umer: Be embarassed all you want and keeping posting negative comments all you want; I can tell you are not Pakistani by your obsession with being negative! I am pleased to see that Pakistan is developing friendships with other nations. Turkey has always showed itself to be a tried a trusted friend of Pakistan. That's why you Indians are so jealous!
@O B Server: Turkey supports rebels in Syria and the Morsi government no doubt however it is not in favour of Saudis at all, in fact, I feel Turkey wants to act like the new influence in the Muslim world. Afterall Turkey was Ottoman Empire- a caliphate-only 100 years ago roughly.
@O B Server Oh Israel with whom Turkey severed the ties in the aftermath of flotilla raid. Seems you have memory loss problem.
Welcome Ardogan. Pakistan needs a mutually beneficial trade and tourism activities with Turkey. Together we can reach the skies!!
Turkey is actually Pakistan's oldest and time tested friend.
Long Live Friendship of two nations!!!!!!
Irfan Mirza
Pretty strange that our so called Left wing News channels boycotted his arrival in Pakistan??. ET was sleeping yesterday?. Also rather than a Headline it is a small piece below the Kareena Kapoor heading and it is appalling and pretty strange for me indeed. It is my request to All left wing news channels to serve the interests of Pakistan first rather than the interests of you so called ancestral roots in India. Moreover financial interests should come second when we are talking about Pakistan but sadly it is not the case with our news channels.
Erdogen trip is seems new era of international cooperation between pakistan and future financial hub (turkey).
What a show of slavery. I am so embarrassed.
Meeting of fundamentalists - Birds of a feather flock together...
i wish we follow the guide lines of Turkish
@Khurram Kaleem:
Instead, it means we now have three masters at least; Saudi, US and now Turkey.
@Khurram Kaleem In Syria, Saudis and Turkey are cooperating in favor of Usrahell
This marks the end of Saudi hegemony in Pakistan religious cum political elite.
Finally we have some one who is happy by coming to Pk
Wow!
Finally ET got the news of his arrival in pk...congrats for posting such a hidden story...