ANKARA: Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, NI (M) has visited APS Martyrs Memorial in Ankara to pay homage to the school children and staff martyred in the cruel terrorist attack on Army Public School (APS) Peshawar in 2014.
A statement issued by Pakistan’s embassy in Ankara on Tuesday said that Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkiye Ambassador Dr. Yousaf Junaid and Keçiören Municipality Mayor Mesut Ozarslan were also present on the occasion.
Ambassador, Junaid while expressing gratitude to Turkish brothers for solidarity and keeping the memory of precious lives lost to terrorism alive said that Pakistan suffered the worst atrocity by the violent terrorist attack on APS Peshawar.
He added since that day resolve of the Pakistani nation to fight terrorism has grown stronger and the armed forces of the country have conducted successful operations against terrorism.
Referring to the situation in Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the envoy stated that the definition of terrorism is incomplete without talking about ongoing atrocities in IIOJK. He thanked the leadership and people of Turkiye for their principled stance on Kashmir and their support for the inalienable right of the self-determination of the people of Kashmir.
Mayor Keçiören, Mesut Ozarslan, Reaffirming the strong solidarity of Turkiye with Pakistan, strongly condemned the terrorist attack and said nothing can justify such an inhuman and brutal act. He stated that the people of Turkiye would continue to stand by the Pakistani brothers in the fight against terrorism.
Later, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Sahir Shamshad Mirza along with other dignitaries laid a wreath at the memorial of the APS martyrs.
General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, is currently on a visit to Turkiye at the invitation of the Chief of Turkish General Staff, General Metin Gurak.
CJCSC, during his visit, was received by Turkish Minister of National Defence Yasar Guler and held important meetings at General Staff Headquarters. General Sahir Shamshad Mirza was conferred upon ‘ Legion of Merit’ at Turkish General Staff Headquarters in Ankara in recognition of his outstanding services in promoting Pakistan-Turkiye defence ties.
Geçmiş dönemden beri kuvvetli münasebetlerimin olduğu Pakistan İslam Cumhuriyeti’nin Ankara Büyükelçisi Sayın Dr. Yousaf Junaid, Genel Kurmay Başkanı Sayın Sahir Shamshad Mirza ve beraberindeki heyeti “Peşaver Şehitlerini Anma Günü” programı kapsamında Keçiören’imizde… pic.twitter.com/CFm64ZspOV
— Dr. Mesut Özarslan (@OzarslanMesut) June 11, 2024
