ISLAMABAD - “Zafer Bayrami” is a national holiday celebrated in Turkey on August 30 to commemorate the victory of Turkish forces in the battle of Dumlupinar. The battle was one of the final and the most decisive one in the Turkish War of independence in 1922.
The 95th Victory day, hosted by the ambassador of the Republic of Turkey, was observed in a befitting manner at Serena hotel Islamabad. Mr. S. Babur Girgin and the defense attaché group Captain Murat Ikiz .Chairman as well as Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General, Zubair Mehmood Hayat, were the chief guests at the show. The guests expressed their solidarity with the armed forces of Turkey on the victory day.
Governor Punjab Mr. Muhammad Rafique Rajwana , Governor Baluchistan Muhammad Khan Achakzai ,Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal , National Security Adviser to Prime Minister Gen (R) Nasir Janjua also attended the event as representatives of Government of Pakistan.
MPA Raja Muhammad Ali, son of Raja Muhammad Zafar Ul haq, attended the reception on behalf of Chief Minister of Punjab Mr. Shahbaz Sharif. At the occasion, the national anthem of both countries was played and a cake was also cut.
The Turkish ambassador read out a message from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in which the President extended his heartfelt gratitude to all his friends. On the occasion, he also remembered the founder of Republic and the Commander-in-Chief of the Great Offensive, Ghazi Mustafa Kemal.
“Without making any compromises on the law, justice and democracy, Turkey has been fighting against terrorist organizations and will continue to eliminate threats against its existence at their root as it did 95 years ago,” he added.
Gen. Zubair Mehmood hayat, in his speech, highlighted the bilateral ties between the two countries emphasizing that Pakistan shares close relations with government and the people of turkey.
–The writer is a freelance contributor.