The arrival of Turkish Prime Minister Recip Tayyip Erdogan in Pakistan was not his first. His arrival at Lahore on Monday marked the special interest attached by Turkey to Punjab, of which the Metro Bus Service in its capital is a symbol. The traffic entanglement that resulted from his and his wife’s movement in the city, was perhaps acceptable if the visit yields tangible results. That Mr Erdogan intended this was shown by his bringing along a large delegation of businessmen.
Turkey is still hopeful of European Union membership, something which Pakistan would find positive, now that it has obtained GSP+ status. The US has to withdraw from Afghanistan in the coming year, a development which means that Pakistan must coordinate more closely with Turkey, and both of them with Iran, to achieve the common goal of all: a free, prosperous and stable Afghanistan. Perhaps tangential, but still of great importance to future Pak-Turkish relations, is the IP gas pipeline. In common with other investors, Turkish investors will not come to a country where the power supply is subject to loadshedding.
Prime Minister Erdogan seemed ready to take the relationship to the next level, by bringing along the businessmen’s delegation. Already bound by deep cultural, historical and linguistic ties, the need is to transform the relationship to an economic one. Apart from Afghanistan, Turkey has taken an interest in Central Asia, which is Turkic. Pakistan must show it can be helpful in that, not just because of the same ties as bind it to Turkey, but also because of its geographical proximity. Turkey has developed considerable technological and industrial expertise, which Pakistan is in need of. Cooperation in the field of enterprise will bring about technology transfer almost inevitably. Through Turkey, it will not be a painful process.
In office since 2003, Mr Erdogan might complain that Pakistan has had a bewildering turnover of leaders, Mian Nawaz Sharif, whom he met in Islamabad for talks on Tuesday, is the ninth head of government since then. However, it is an interesting coincidence that the first, President Pervez Musharraf, who spent part of his childhood in Turkey, is on trial during the visit. Political stability, represented by freedom from military coups, is part of the prescription for economic growth. Mian Nawaz might also wish to learn from Mr Erdogan how he has achieved the high economic growth that has led him to such longevity in office.