Prime Minister visits Turkey today

Pakistan, Islamabad: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will visit Turkey on Friday for consultations with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the situation in Yemen.

“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will be visiting the Republic of Turkey on Friday,” the Foreign Office said on Thursday.

The government had earlier this week decided to reach out to “leadership of brotherly Muslim countries” for what it said “facilitating early resolution of the crisis and promoting peace and unity of the Muslim Ummah”.

The visit was finalised during Mr Sharif’s telephonic conversation with the Turkish president.

“The prime minister and the president of Turkey will exchange views on the situation relating to Yemen. They will also discuss how the two countries can be helpful in addressing the issue,” the Foreign Office said. Meanwhile, President Mamnoon Hussain will leave for Istanbul on a three-day visit on April 21. This will be his third visit to Turkey since he assumed charge of his office in July 2013.

“The president will visit Turkey on an invitation by his Turkish counterpart to attend Turkish national ceremonies,” the president’s spokesman said. President Mamnoon first visited Turkey in July last year on his way home from a trip to Indonesia. Only a month later he again visited Turkey.

A number of memoranda of understanding are likely to be signed between Pakistan and Turkey during President Mamnoon’s visit.