ISLAMABAD, Aug 18 (APP): Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday received the All Parties Parliamentary Delegation, led by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, at the Presidential Palace in Ankara.
During the meeting, that lasted for 90 minutes and was held in a cordial and very relaxed atmosphere, President Erdogan thanked both the Houses of Parliament of Pakistan for unanimously passing resolutions in support of democracy in Turkey.
He also greatly appreciated prompt phone calls from President Mamnoon Hussain and 'my brother' Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, a message received here from Ankara said.
President Erdogan also condemned the terrorist incident in Quetta and condoled with the families, adding that 'Turkey supports Pakistan in the struggle against terrorism.'
He told the visiting parliamentarians that he would soon pay a visit to Pakistan to thank the Pakistani people for standing by Turkey in this hour of need.
Terming the visit of the Pakistan parliamentary delegation as 'very significant' Erdogan said 'your support to Turkey in the aftermath of the July 15 coup attempt is exemplary'.
Senator Mushahid Hussain said that the parliamentary delegation includes 8 political parties from across the political spectrum from both the government and opposition from all the provinces of Pakistan, who express full solidarity and support to Turkey's defence of democracy.
Mushahid praised President Erdogan for showing bold leadership during the crisis of the coup and taking the initiative of mobilizing the people to resist the coup attempt.
Senator Mushahid Hussain termed the relationship between Pakistan and Turkey as "special, extraordinary bond between two countries who are part of the same Ummah". He also presented a plaque to President Erdogan with the text of the two resolutions of the Parliament of Pakistan.
Senator Talha Mahmood presented a `fatwa' of 51 prominent Ulema of all schools of thought, supporting Turkish democracy and the constitutional government of President Erdogan.
The meeting was attended by Senator Muhammad Javed Abbasi (PML-N), Senator Sehar Kamran (PPP), Munaza Hassan, MNA (PTI), Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood (JUI-F), Senator Mir Kabeer Ahmed Muhammad Shahi (National Party), Sahibzada Tariqullah (Jamaat Islami) and Senator Sitara Ayaz (ANP).