World Bulletin/News Desk

Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan  will pay a 3-day official visit to Pakistan from May 20 to May 23 on the invitation of Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Pakistani media reported.

During his visit, the Turkish Prime Minister will address the joint session of Pakistan’s Parliament. Pakistan's Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani addressed the Turkish Parliament during his visit to Turkey in December 2010.

During his speech, Erdogan is expected to give messages of unity and highlight friendly relations and brotherhood.

On Tuesday, Erdogan will be welcomed by full military honors at the Pakistani Prime Ministry and meet members of Pakistani government.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Saturday decided to attend the joint session of parliament convened by the President on May 21 to be addressed by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

According to the local press, PML-N spokesman Senator Pervaiz Rashid said the Turkish Prime Minister was highly respected in Pakistan and on his arrival in the parliament, PML-N would accord him a very warm welcome.

He said that PML-N has decided to attend the joint session of the parliament as it holds Mr Recep Tayyip Erdogan in high esteem.

The Turkish Prime Minister will also co-chair the second High Level Cooperation Council meeting along with Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani in Islamabad. Both leaders will address the joint press conference later on after signing five Agreements of Cooperation between the two countries at the P.M. House. It may be mentioned here that the first High Level Cooperation Council Meeting was held in Turkey in which Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani represented Pakistan in December 2010.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani will host state banquet and luncheon respectively in honour of the visiting Turkish Prime Minister and members of his delegation.

Erdogan's three-day visit to Islamabad will initiate a new period in Turkish-Pakistani brotherhood. Erdogan will launch high-level cooperation process between Turkey and Pakistan in order to raise trade volume to 2 billion USD.      

A high-level cooperation meeting will take place at the Prime Ministry in which bilateral trade will be discussed.      

Turkey and Pakistan are expected to sign a preferential trade agreement and an agreement to cut down tax duties, as well as an agreement to facilitate travel of trucks, in the meeting.      

Turkish-Pakistani trade volume was around 1.2 billion USD in April. Trade from Turkey to Pakistan was around 250 million USD, but exports from Pakistan to Turkey were around 650 million USD.      

Turkey was the country that extended the highest monetary and humanitarian assistance to Pakistan during recent quake and flood disasters. The amount of assistance totalled 200 million USD.      

This will be Erdogan's fifth visit to Pakistan after became the prime minister of Turkey. Erdogan made two of the visits after quake and flood disasters in this country.

Turkish agency's assistance to Pakistan reaches 118 mln USD

Meanwhile, Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) has recently opened 10 potable water stations, and enabled 340 schools in Gaza to use potable water. This project cost 1.2 million USD.      

The amount of TIKA's assistance to Palestine has reached 118 million USD.     

"We opened our office in Palestine in Ramallah in 2005, and supported Palestinian people with hundreds of projects since then," TIKA coordinator Kursat Mahmat told AA correspondent.      

TIKA's assistance includes potable water supply, school and hospital construction, renovation of Al-Masjid al-Aqsa Mosque's reliefs.      

"Efforts are under way to construct 150-bed Gaza teaching hospital, which will cost about 35 million USD," Mahmat said.      

Besides TIKA, Turkish Red Crescent and many non-governmental organizations are operating in Palestine. Turkey's assistance to Palestine is forecast to be around 1 billion USD.