Government of Punjab
Lahore, December 1:
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif met with Burhan Kaya Turk, Chairman of the EU Harmonization Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye. The meeting focused on bilateral ties, economic cooperation, climate resilience, and parliamentary collaboration.
The Chief Minister welcomed Türkiye’s interest in Pakistan’s Special Economic Zones and proposed naming a new zone “President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Special Industrial Zone.”
Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in flood management, clean transport, forest protection, water conservation, and climate-smart infrastructure. Maryam Nawaz said Pakistan and Türkiye have always stood together on principles of justice and human dignity. She praised Türkiye’s bold and principled stance on Palestine and said there is no divergence between Pakistan and Türkiye from Kashmir to Gaza.
The Turkish delegation appreciated Punjab’s reconstruction efforts, including the rapid construction of over 120,000 houses. Burhan Kaya Turk remarked that Maryam Nawaz works “even faster than Türkiye.” He added that the people of Türkiye hold great admiration for Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.
The delegation was also briefed on initiatives such as Punjab Clean Air Program, Suthra Punjab, AI Forest Protection Force, and the Punjab Climate Observatory.
