LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday called on Turk President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the President House, Istanbul.

Shahbaz Sharif paid tributes to Mr Erdogan for foiling the coup attempt last month and said he faced the situation with courage and steadfastness and on his call Turk people came out on roads to defend democracy and thwarted the conspiracy.

He said failure of the conspiracy against democracy in Turkey was a proof that Turk people loved Mr Erdogan and the democratic system.

The Turkish president said the coup was an evil attempt to derail the process of progress and prosperity. He thanked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and the Pakistani people for supporting the Turkish leadership at a difficult time.

Shahbaz also met Turkish Prime Minister BinAli Yildirim at the Prime Minister House in Istanbul. Matters of mutual interest, Pak-Turk relations and promotion of cooperation in different sectors were discussed. He said the enemy of Turkey was the enemy of Pakistan. Shahbaz said he was grieved over recent incidents of terrorism in Turkey and expressed sympathies of Pakistani people for the bereaved families.

The chief minister said terrorism had become an international issue and there was a need to make collective efforts for the elimination of this menace. He invited the Turkish premier on behalf of Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan. The Turkish premier accepted the invitation and said he would soon visit Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2016