Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar arrived in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sunday, where he visited the shrine of Hazrat Abu Ayub Ansari (R.A.) and offered Fateha.
According to the Foreign Office, Ishaq Dar prayed for the security, peace and prosperity of Pakistan during his visit to the shrine. He also prayed for the unity of the Muslim Ummah.
The shrine of Hazrat Abu Ayub Ansari (R.A.) is located in the historic Eyup Sultan Mosque in Istanbul. This place holds special importance in Islamic history, and Muslims from all over the world visit here.
Ishaq Dar has arrived in Istanbul after completing an official visit to the UK. His arrival comes at a time when important consultations are being held between Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia regarding defense cooperation.
According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee established under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement will be held in Istanbul on August 31. The meeting will be attended by the foreign ministers, defense ministers and senior military officials of the three countries.
The meeting is being considered an important step towards implementing the recent defense agreement between Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. The three countries signed the agreement in Mecca this month. The agreement includes a clause that an armed attack on one of the countries is considered an attack on all three countries.
On the other hand, the R-4 group consisting of Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt is also an important forum for consultation on regional issues. The foreign ministers of the four countries met in Amman on August 5, in which the regional situation, peace, security and mutual cooperation were discussed.
Both defense and diplomatic issues are important in Ishaq Dar’s current visit to Turkey. On the one hand, there will be talks on advancing defense cooperation between the three countries, while on the other hand, Pakistan continues to communicate with its partners for regional peace and joint diplomatic efforts.
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