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LAHORE, Oct 14 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif warmly welcomed visiting parliamentary delegations from Türkiye and Azerbaijan, led by the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, H.E. Professor Dr. Numan Kurtulmus, and the Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis, H.E. Ms. Sahiba Gafarova, during their visit to Lahore on Tuesday.
Extending heartfelt greetings on behalf of the people of Punjab, the CM conveyed messages of goodwill to the leadership and citizens of both brotherly nations. She lauded Türkiye and Azerbaijan for their steadfast support to Pakistan, particularly their principled stance on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and strong condemnation of recent Indian aggression.
CM Maryam Nawaz emphasized that the trilateral partnership of Pakistan, Türkiye and Azerbaijan transcends diplomatic relations, being rooted in shared faith, culture, and historical bonds. She underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation in education, health, and information technology, adding that Punjab is eager to expand collaboration in these sectors.
Highlighting her development vision for Punjab, the CM said that improving the quality of life of the people remained her foremost priority. “Within a few months, Punjab has completed record-setting construction of 90,000 homes. We are transforming agriculture through mechanization, and Lahore will soon be home to the world’s largest public sector cancer hospital,” she noted.
She said that the provincial government had introduced a KPI-based governance model, inspired by the visionary leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and launched the ‘Suthra Punjab’ (Clean Punjab) initiative, the world’s largest integrated solid waste management program.
Commenting on Punjab’s cultural heritage, Maryam Nawaz Sharif said, “Historic landmarks such as Badshahi Mosque, Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens, and Wazir Khan Mosque are timeless symbols of Muslim civilization and spiritual heritage. Lahore’s deep-rooted spiritual identity continues to inspire our efforts to have it declared the ECO Tourism Capital for 2027.”
The CM also recalled Punjab’s extensive rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations during the recent devastating floods, reaffirming the province’s commitment to public service and resilience. “Our affection for Türkiye and Azerbaijan is not new; it is a legacy of friendship and respect passed down from my father, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif,” she remarked.
Sharing her vision for tourism, she said that Punjab is introducing over a thousand new tourist sites and corridors, promoting emerging categories such as religious, environmental, medical, and wildlife tourism. She described the visit of the distinguished parliamentary delegations as a manifestation of Muslim unity, dialogue and mutual respect, expressing hope that it would open new avenues of cooperation among the parliaments and peoples of Pakistan, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan.
Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye Dr. Numan Kurtulmus said, “We stand firmly by Pakistan and are ready to cooperate in every sector, including education. We sincerely thank Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for her warm welcome and exceptional hospitality.”
Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis Ms. Sahiba Gafarova remarked, “Punjab, especially Lahore, is a beautiful region rich in culture and history. We are deeply impressed by the remarkable progress in health and education sectors.”
Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan said that trilateral relations between Pakistan, Türkiye and Azerbaijan is highly promising, terming them a significant step toward regional peace, progress and prosperity.
The meeting reaffirmed Pakistan’s deep appreciation of Türkiye and Azerbaijan’s principled support on the Kashmir issue, and underscored that such high-level exchanges would further strengthen the historical, political and cultural ties among the three brotherly nations.