ISLAMABAD, Jul 29 (APP): Ambassador of Türkiye to Pakistan, Dr. Irfan Neziroglu visited the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) and held a meeting with its Chairperson, Dr. Najeeba Arif on Tuesday.
Turkish writer, translator, intellectual, and Director of the Yunus Emre Institute in Pakistan Dr. Halil Toker as well as PAL’s Director General, Sultan Muhammad Nawaz Nasir were also present in the meeting.
The meeting focused on fostering literary and cultural ties between Pakistan and Türkiye. Dr. Najeeba Arif briefed the ambassador on the Academy’s initiatives, including the promotion of literature in Pakistani languages, welfare programs for writers, its publication efforts, and literary translation projects with international partners.
She also referenced the earlier Memorandum of Understanding between Istanbul University and the Academy, and highlighted key publications that reflect longstanding literary collaboration. Notably, in 1991, PAL published a book on the eminent Turkish poet Yunus Emre. In 2022, the academy published book titled “Dr. Halil Toker: Shakhsiyat aur Funn” for its acclaimed series “Pakistani Adab ke Me’maar”.
Dr. Najeeba Arif further shared that the Academy regularly features translations of Turkish literary works in its quarterly journal “Adabiyat”. Over the years, several Turkish writers have visited Pakistan and participated in international conferences organized by the Academy.
Ambassador Dr. Irfan Neziroglu expressed his appreciation for the strong literary, cultural, social, and political relations between Türkiye and Pakistan, emphasizing the need to deepen these ties. He underscored the importance of renewed institutional partnerships, collaborative translation initiatives, and the organization of joint literary and cultural events. Such efforts, he noted, will not only advance mutual literary interests and celebrate shared cultural heroes, but also strengthen people-to-people connections and mutual understanding between the two nations.
Dr. Najeeba Arif also commended the contributions of Turkish scholars to Urdu literature, particularly acknowledging the efforts of Dr. Halil Toker, Dr. Asuman Belen Özcan, and Dr. Dawood Shahbaz. The meeting also included discussions on launching joint literary projects between PAL and the Yunus Emre Institute in the coming months. At the end of the meeting, Dr. Najeeba Arif presented a selection of the Academy’s publications to Dr. Irfan Neziroglu and Dr. Halil Toker.