A high-level delegation comprising women members of the Balochistan Assembly undertook an official visit to Turkey with the aim of strengthening bilateral parliamentary, diplomatic, economic, and people-to-people relations between Pakistan and Turkey.
The delegation was led by Farah Azeem Shah, MPA from the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and President of the BAP Women Wing. Other members included Salma Kakar, MPA from the All-Pakistan Muslim League (ANP), Hadiya Nawaz, MPA from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PML-N), and Kulsoom, MPA from the National Party.
During their visit to Turkey, the delegation held several important meetings with Turkish senior political leadership and parliamentary representatives. These discussions focused on bilateral cooperation, youth development, education, investment, and promoting positive narratives.
The delegation met with the leadership of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. They discussed issues such as Pakistan-Turkey brotherly relations, parliamentary cooperation, and regional development.
Additionally, they met with Senator Dr. Mustafa Kaya, Vice-President of the Saadet Party and a member of the NATO Group in the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
During their meeting, Farah Azeem Shah highlighted the strategic importance and development potential of Balochistan, emphasizing initiatives like the Balochistan Sustainable Development Initiative (BSDI). She invited Turkey to invest in sectors such as mining, infrastructure, youth skills development, and education. Furthermore, she requested scholarships for Pakistani, particularly Baloch students, at Turkish universities.
The Turkish leadership warmly welcomed the delegation and expressed a desire to visit Balochistan. They noted that the province’s capable and patriotic parliamentarians would help Pakistan achieve new heights of progress. Both sides agreed on establishing a joint think tank and working group to facilitate policy-level cooperation, explore investment opportunities, promote youth exchange programs, and effectively counter fake news and negative propaganda.
Regular contacts were also arranged for further high-level meetings in the future to strengthen bilateral relations.