ASHGABAT: President Asif Ali Zardari and Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized the importance of further enhancing bilateral relations between their countries during an informal meeting on Friday. This meeting took place on the sidelines of a two-day international forum titled “Interrelation of Times and Civilisations—Basis for Peace and Development” in Turkmenistan’s capital.
The forum was organized to celebrate the 300th birth anniversary of Magtymguly Faragi, a renowned Turkmen thinker, poet, and philosopher.
Both leaders exchanged good wishes, as stated in a release from the President House.
Zardari, who arrived on Thursday for the visit, addressed the forum alongside several other leaders, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Tajik President Emomali Rehmon, and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov.
In his speech, Zardari stressed the need for increased connectivity among regional countries to strengthen cultural and economic cooperation. He highlighted the deep-rooted bond of brotherhood between Pakistan and Turkmenistan, built on mutual respect, shared faith, and a vision for a peaceful future.
The president expressed his gratitude to the Turkmen government and its people for hosting the prestigious event aimed at fostering understanding, peace, and dialogue among cultures.
He also noted the commonalities between Pakistan’s national poet, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, and the prominent Turkmen literary figure Makhdum Gulli Fraghi, particularly in their thoughts on Sufism and nationalism.
Zardari commended Turkmenistan’s President Sardar Berdi Muhammedov for organizing the event to promote Makhdum Gulli Fraghi’s works and for providing a platform for regional leaders to strengthen friendships. Additionally, he congratulated the Turkmen nation on designating 2024 as the “Year of the Great Poet and Thinker of the Turkic World—Makhdum Gulli.”
