Urges Pak-Turk cooperation to address post pandemic issues, vaccine development
Spokesman Report
ANKARA/ ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said promoting foreign investment in Pakistan was one of the top priorities of his government. PM Sharif, who is on a three-day visit to Turkey, stated this in a meeting with a delegation of a Turkish company Sutas Group headed by its Board President Muharrem Yilmaz. The prime minister said the government was removing the hurdles faced by investors during the last four years.
He said the government was ensuring employment opportunities and setting up industries in the country. The delegation of Sutas Group expressed deep interest in investing in the dairy sector in Pakistan. The prime minister issued directives to the concerned Pakistani authorities to extend cooperation to the Sutas Group. Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasized that Pakistan and Turkey should continue to address health and economic challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and step-up cooperation in vaccine development.
The prime minister, in a meeting with Turkish Health Minister Dr Fahrettin Koca who called on him during his three-day official visit here, congratulated over the commendable handling of COVID-19 by Turkey. During the meeting, the prime minister stressed the importance of enhancing bilateral cooperation in the health sector. He appreciated President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for transforming the health system in Turkey in the last two decades.
He recalled several joint initiatives undertaken by the Turkish government in Pakistan in the health sector especially in health services, pharmaceuticals, digital health and training and capacity building of medical professionals. Shehbaz Sharif greatly admired Turkish generosity witnessed during the 2005 earthquake and 2010 floods. He particularly appreciated the establishment of Recep Tayyip Erdogan Hospital in Muzaffargarh following the massive floods in Pakistan.
He advised the Turkish-Pakistan Joint Working Group (JWG) on Health to undertake in-depth discussions on various aspects of bilateral health cooperation. The prime minister underscored the importance of following up on various initiatives including collaboration in the establishment of pathology labs, enhanced functioning of Pakistan Kidney Liver Institute (PKLI), and automobile ambulances.
The Turkish health minister highlighted the potential for enhanced collaboration in various aspects of the health field, such as manufacturing of medical equipment and pharmaceuticals, health tourism and quality control. He indicated that a team of Turkish Health Ministry would visit Pakistan in the near future. The health minister also informed that a “Pak-Medica Expo and Business Forum” would be held in Pakistan in October this year.
During the meeting, it was agreed, that the two sides will remain engaged on agreed areas of cooperation through the Joint Working Group on Health. Prime Minister Shehbaz warned his predecessor Imran Khan not to cross limits by giving statements about split of the country. “Do your politics, but don’t dare to cross limits and talk about division of Pakistan,” he said in a tweet from Turkey, where he is on a three-day official visit. “While I am in Turkey inking agreements, Imran Niazi is making naked threats against the country,” he said in a tweet. The prime minister said the interviews and statements of Imran Khan exposed that he was not suitable for public office. “If at all any proof was needed that Niazi is unfit for public office, his latest interview suffices,” he said.