LAHORE: University of Management and Technology (UMT) hosted a farewell party to the outgoing Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Sadik Babür Girgin who has completed his tenure in Pakistan.

Expressing his views, Sadik Babür Girgin said that rendering his services as the ambassador of Turkey to Pakistan was an exciting experience of his life. He said Turkey and Pakistan share many things in common and they have ideal relations spanning seven decades of friendship, trust, brotherhood and mutual cooperation. He said Turkey is investing in Pakistan’s journey to development and more than 100 Turkish companies are operating across Pakistan and contributing to key areas like education, health, energy, infrastructure, transportation and service and construction. He said that not only this, Turkish institutions are providing quality education to Pakistanis studying in Turkey and enabling them to be good engineers, scientists, IT specialists, doctors and social scientists. He said President Erdgon’s Government has always stood by Pakistan in times of crisis and calamity and it would continue fueling Pakistan whenever and wherever needed.

The ambassador appreciated UMT leadership chairman Dr. Hasan Sohiab Murad for laying down the foundation of Pakistan’s first Pak-Turk Studies Center at the varsity. He said through this platform, student and faculty exchange program, scholarships for Pakistani students pursuing their studies in Turkey and culture of the countries would be carried out.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman UMT Dr. Hasan Sohaib Murad applauded the ambassador for his endeavors made to strengthen friendly and brotherly ties between Turkey and Pakistan. He said UMT has already set up a bureau office in Ankara where it had won Turkish government’s support for establishing a world-class university in order to translate the concept of ‘Two Countries-One Nation’ about Pakistan-Turkey friendship into a reality. Dr. Murad said that many Turkish students have completed their studies at UMT and now are serving their country with the first-class research degree and wider exposure. He hinted that Pak-Turk Studies Center would act as an island of excellence to produce purpose oriented, strategic and academically focused public policy research, indigenously as well as by collaboration with keen partners from Republic of Turkey. He said Center will provide a forum for strategic discourse, dialogue, mutual consultation and exchange.

Rector UMT Dr. Muhammad Aslam, Director UMT Ibrahim Hasan Murad, officials from Turkish embassy and others were present on the occasion.—PR