Pakistani parliamentarians call on President Abdullah Gul

Lahore: Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency (PILDAT) organized a study group visit of 1-week to Turkey this month to learn about Civil-Military Relations under Chairmanship of Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed. Other participants included Syed Naveed Qamar MNA, Senator Farhat Ullah Baber, Senator Hasil Bizenjo, Mrs. Shaista Pervaiz Malik MNA, Sardar Awais Leghari, Former Dy. Speaker National Assembly Faisal Kundi, Former Ambassador Shahid Malik, Former Governor Sindh Moeen uddin Haider & others.

On November 13, 2013, the delegation called on H.E.  Abdullah Gul, President of Turkey at Ankara. Mr. Gul said that Turkey and Pakistan have a special bond that can neither be put in words nor can be understood by a third entity. The special relationship between the two countries is both a historic and futuristic relationship that goes beyond politics. Mr. Gul said that democracy and pluralism are the preferred systems for both Turkey and Pakistan. While both countries have faced similar problems of military coups and financial crises, Turkey has dealt with these through economic and political stability. He hoped that Pakistan will also see a period of stability soon.

The Pakistani delegation also called on H.E. Mr. Cemil Cicek, Speaker, Grand National Assembly of Turkey, as well as H.E. Mr. Kemal Yardimci, Deputy Defense Minister of Turkey, while detailed meetings were held with the Chairpersons of the Plan and Budget and Defense Committees of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

In order to understand how the Turkish National Security Council (NSC) works, especially after the changes incorporated by the ruling AKP on civilian supremacy on the military, the Pakistan delegation met with and was briefed by H.E. Mr. Muammer Turker, Secretary General of the National Security Council.

The Pakistan delegation also visited the Headquarters of the ruling AKP, as well as that of the principal opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) where the delegation was briefed respectively by the Deputy Chairman of the AKP, H.E. Dr. Muzaffar Çakar and the Chairman CHP H.E. Mr. Kemal Kiliçdaroglu. The delegation also interacted with the Chair and members of the Saadet (Felicity) Party.

A comprehensive briefing on Turkish journey towards democratic civil-military relations was given to the Pakistan delegation by Prof. Dr. Ersel Aydinli, Associate Professor of International Relations at the Bilkent University, Ankara