Turkey’s president, accompanied by a high-level delegation, arrived in Pakistan’s capital late Wednesday night on a two-day visit to discuss how to boost trade and economic ties between the nations, officials said. [Getty]
 Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out at Israel during a visit to Pakistan on Thursday, speaking up in defense of Palestinians in Gaza and condemning ideas to forcibly displace them from their land .
Speaking at a business forum, Erdogan accused Israel of failing to keep to a ceasefire agreement , warning that the region was being dragged “toward blood and tears again.”
Erdogan reiterated his opposition to President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza.
“Gaza belongs to our Gazan brothers and sisters and will remain so forever,” he said in a televised speech at a business forum in the capital, Islamabad.
“The homeland for which the Palestinians have sacrificed tens of thousands of their children is not up for bargaining.”
Earlier on Thursday, Erdogan held talks on Gaza and bilateral Turkey-Pakistani trade and cooperation with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif .
The two leaders chaired strategic cooperation talks and witnessed the signing of 24 agreements and a memorandum of understanding on boosting economic and defense ties.
Sharif said the two nations would try to increase the volume of their annual bilateral trade to $5 billion, from the current $1.4 billion.
Erdogan said both Turkey and Pakistan “strive to provide every effort” to support the Palestinians.
“We must strengthen this determined stance, especially at a time when there are unlawful and morally unacceptable proposals such as tearing our Gazan brothers from their homeland,” he added.
Erdogan also paid tribute to Pakistani security forces and civilians killed in militant attacks, which Pakistan has blamed on the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and whose leaders and fighters are hiding in Afghanistan since the Afghan Taliban seized power in 2021.
Pakistan and Turkey in the statement stressed that “Afghanistan should not become a safe haven for terrorist groups” and Kabul should take all necessary measures against TTP and the Islamic State group.
The two sides “expressed their grave concern at the unprecedented loss of lives and property as well as displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians as a result of indiscriminate use of force by Israel.”
While welcoming the Gaza ceasefire, they hoped that the truce would lead to a permanent and durable ceasefire.
As well as calling for greater humanitarian assistance, the two sides underscored that any attempts to displace the Palestinians from their land as well as to continue illegal settlements constitute blatant violations of international law.
The Turkish leader also met with his Pakistani counterpart, Asif Ali Zardari before returning home.
