Pakistan-Türkiye relations ‘sweeter than Pakistani mangoes’: Dr Sangu

KARACHI: Relations between Pakistan and Türkiye are sweeter than Pakistani mangoes, higher than K2 and deeper than oceans, said Dr Cemal Sangu while addressing a gathering organized at the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (PIIA) here on Saturday.

Speaking on the history of the Turkish language, he said Turkic languages are spoken across a vast geography from East to West, including many dialects in Southeast Europe, and are among the most spoken language families in the world. Turkish, he noted, is a very old language with origins traced back 880 years, belonging to the Ural-Altaic family, and is considered highly suitable for computers and science.

Turkish, Dr Sangu added, has no noun classes or grammatical gender, making it non-discriminatory, and is mathematical, logical, and scientific with minimal exceptions. He recalled that Kasgarli Mahmud wrote the “Divanü Lügati’t-Türk” in 1072 and that one of the first Turkish newspapers was published in Crimea.

He highlighted that Turkish is spoken by ethnic Turks in Iran, Syria, Greece, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, Eastern Europe, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and China, and that Turkish civilization is among the three oldest surviving in the world.

Referring to bilateral ties, Dr Sangu said the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Pakistan was celebrated three years ago. While diplomatic relations began in 1947, brotherly ties date back centuries, rooted in shared religion, culture, and language, transcending political changes. He described the relationship as “one nation, two countries.”

On the impact of Turkic rulers on the Subcontinent, he said they influenced the socio-cultural fabric through administrative practices, language, religion, and architecture. They introduced innovations in governance, education, military organization, and infrastructure, while also patronizing art, architecture, literature, and religion. He noted their economic and judicial reforms, based on Islamic law, ensured minority rights were protected.

Dr Sangu cited the Shah Jahan Mosque in Thatta, with its elaborate tile work and geometric brickwork, as a reflection of Turkish architectural influence. He also mentioned the Makli Necropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which includes tombs from the Tarkhan, Arghun, and Mughal eras.

He paid tribute to Muhammad Ali Jauhar and Maulana Shaukat Ali for their pivotal role in supporting the Ottoman Caliphate and Turks, championing their cause, collecting aid, and voicing support through newspapers such as Comrade, Nakib-i Hemderd, and Hemderd.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025