Islamabad: Turkish Ambassador Irfan Neziro lu on Thursday said that Pakistan and Türkiye must deepen cooperation in the field of education, stressing that academic exchange and people-to-people contacts are vital to strengthening the historic brotherly ties between the two countries.
Speaking at an orientation program for 166 Pakistani students awarded Türkiye Scholarships in 2025, held at the Turkish Embassy in Islamabad, Ambassador Neziro lu highlighted that this year marked a record intake from Pakistan.
“Every year, nearly thirty thousand students apply for Türkiye Scholarships, and we are proud that a record number of Pakistani students will now pursue undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral studies in Türkiye on fully funded scholarships,” he said.
Neziro lu said hundreds of Pakistani students are already studying in every major city of Türkiye and that Turkish universities and educational institutions are “very happy and satisfied with the performance and hard work of Pakistani students.”
He urged them to learn the Turkish language, explore different cities, understand the culture, visit the families of their Turkish classmates, and adopt the good practices of their mentors to take back home. Highlighting the century-old brotherhood between the two nations, the envoy said: “For the last 100 years, the people of Türkiye and Pakistan have been helping each other. Pakistanis were the first to come forward for Turkish people in distress, and we have always done the same for Pakistan. There is no difference of interests between Türkiye and Pakistan. They are two strong nations of the Islamic world and must work together for the benefit of its people.”
He even drew a symbolic comparison between the two countries’ flags, pointing out their star and crescent, white color, and similar style. “Our flags are 75 percent similar, and the same level of cooperation should now be taken to the next level. This can only be done through students and people of both nations,” he remarked.
He also expressed his satisfaction over the upcoming cultural trip of 200 outstanding Pakistani students to Türkiye in October and November, organized at the instruction of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Mehmet Toyran, Education Counsellor at the Turkish Embassy, also addressed the gathering, underlining the role of education in strengthening relations and promoting literacy.
Reference Link:- https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1346420-envoy-stresses-stronger-pakistan-turkiye-cooperation-in-education;