In a sunny afternoon, red flags bearing a white star and crescent flutteredin the breeze as they hung from businesses and homes in northern Pakistan,a testament to the region’s love for Turkey spurred by a Turkish dramaseries.
Dirilis (Resurrection) Ertugrul is gaining wide popularity across thecountry after being dubbed in Urdu and broadcast on state television.
A YouTube channel launched in mid-April specifically for the series hasnearly 8.5 million subscribers, while its viewership had climbed to over1.3 billion as of Sept. 15.
It was after Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Turkey that heordered the state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) to dub the program intoUrdu and telecast it.
PTV says the series is trending locally on YouTube since it was launchedthis year on April 25, the 1st of Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month.
The state-run TV, which started airing the show under an arrangement withTurkish Radio and Television, is making it accessible to a far greateraudience and igniting public interest.
The growing popularity of Turkey among Pakistanis is striking, showingtheir love for the two countries’ friendship.
“We are importing carpets from Turkey. That is why we named our shopPak-Turk Carpets,” said Jibran Aziz in Gilgit city, the provincial capitalof Gilgit-Baltistan.
Customers are also taking an interest in seeing Pakistan and Turkey’s flagsflown together, he added.
Several hotels in Naran-Kaghan, a beautiful tourist spot located inMansehra district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, some 300 kilometers fromthe capital Islamabad, are adorned with the Turkish, Pakistani and Chineseflags.
According to their owners, it is a sign of solidarity with their country’s“good friends.”
“China is our good friend, but Turkey is our brother, and it is a sign ofour respect and love for these countries,” Zohaib Aamir, the owner of oneof the hotels, told Anadolu Agency.
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“Good friends are those who stand behind you in every good and bad time,and these countries are doing it,” said Aamir, pointing toward the flags.
Local tourists visiting the area also pose in front of the flags for photosand later share them on social media.
“I like this red flag and I love Turkey. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ismy favorite leader,” said Zarmina Hassan, a tourist from Islamabad, whilehaving her photo taken.
President Erdogan is the most popular leader among locals in Pakistan dueto his bold stand on Muslim issues and especially his support for theKashmiri people, she added.
Fazal-ur-Rehman, 62, who built a new hotel at a beautiful location nearBabu-Sar, a border point between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan innorthern Pakistan, also displayed symbolic Shaheen and Ghauri missiles —
Pakistan’s land-based surface-to-surface medium-range ballistic missiles –near the Pakistani, Turkish and Chinese flags.
“I opened this hotel last year and brought the Turkish flag from Islamabadand displayed it here to show my solidarity and love for Turkey,” Rehmansaid.
“I like President Erdogan. He is a true Muslim leader, and I wish otherMuslim leaders would also follow him to serve the oppressed Muslims aroundthe world.”
During Erdogan’s visit to Pakistan in February, the two countries signed aseries of memorandums of understanding aimed at boosting bilateral trade,economic engagement and cultural and communications ties.
Trade volume between Pakistan and Turkey has risen from around $600 millionto $800 million over the last five years. – Anadolu Agency
