Firdous emphasis to access in EU markets more via Turkey

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information & Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Tuesday emphasized on the need for more market access to European markets via Turkey for Pakistani products and said that Pakistan believed in trade and not aid.

She referred to cargo goods train project, Gul Train that will link Pakistan via Iran and Turkey to European Union (EU) markets and urged for early completion of this mega connectivity project.

She said this in a meeting with Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc in Ankara, said a message received from Turkey.

She said Pakistan highly valued its relations with Turkey which were rooted in history and common culture.

"We consider ourselves as the same nation living in two different geographical regions. Love for Turkey and its people are in every Pakistani's blood".

She said Turkey had always come forward to assist Pakistan in difficult times and hoped that Turkey would help their Pakistani brethren to mitigate the sufferings caused by the 2011 floods as the Turkish nation did in 2010 floods and 2005 earthquake.

Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan emphasised that media was an important tool to give further boost to our existing brotherly relations.

For that purpose she proposed that Turkish government might offer scholarships to Pakistani media personnel in order to build their professional capacity.

The Minister also proposed that public televisions of both Pakistan and Turkey may enter into joint production for documentaries, films, dramas, and technical training programmes.

This, she said, "would help us in promoting our cultures and creating further understanding of our shared history".

She said both the countries could learn from each other's experiences and best practices in the field of media as a vibrant media was a catalyst for strengthening democratic values in both the countries.

The Turkish Deputy Prime Minister agreed to Information Minister's proposal for reviving Iqbal and Rumi's philosophy and messages.

Dr Firdous invited Mr Bulent Arinc to visit Pakistan and inaugurate the first event regarding the promotion of the philosophies of the great thinkers.

The Turkish dignitary said both Turkey and Pakistan should make joint efforts for development of infrastructure, promotion of culture, communication, education, and health. He emphasized on the need for closer cooperation to combat terrorism and extremism.

Later, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan met Turkish Deputy Minister for Family & Social Policy Prof Dr Ashkin Asan and apprised her of the steps taken by the democratic government of Pakistan regarding women empowerment.

She said Shaheed Benazir Bhutto had a vision of women empowerment and the Pakistan Peoples Party government was committed to convert this into reality.

In this regard, the government has empowered women legally, socially, politically and economically, she said. "Our parliament has passed a number of laws in this respect", she added.

Dr Ashkin Asan agreed to consider possibility of setting up technical and vocational training institutes on pilot basis in Pakistan.

She informed that Turkish non-governmental organizations (NGOs) would soon undertake a project to provide transportation facilities for girl’s students in remote areas of Pakistan.

Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Minister for Mining & Technical Education Mehmood Zeb offered full cooperation to the Turkish NGOs in this regard.

Ambassador of Pakistan Muhammad Haroon Shaukat and Chairperson of Bokhari Relief Foundation Syeda Khanum Tayyaba Bokhari were also present during the meeting.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011