ASHGABAT: President Asif Ali Zardari and Russian President Vladimir Putin met informally on Friday, emphasizing the need to strengthen bilateral ties between Pakistan and Russia. Their discussion took place during a two-day international forum titled “Interrelation of Times and Civilizations: Basis for Peace and Development” in the Turkmen capital, held to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Magtymguly Faragi, a prominent Turkmen thinker, poet, and philosopher. Both leaders exchanged good wishes, as noted in a statement from the President’s House.
During his visit, President Zardari also addressed the forum, which included several leaders, such as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov.
In his speech, Zardari emphasized the importance of enhancing connectivity among regional countries to bolster cultural and economic cooperation. He highlighted the deep-rooted bond of brotherhood between Pakistan and Turkmenistan, founded on mutual respect, shared faith, and a collective vision for a peaceful future.
The president expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the government and people of Turkmenistan for organizing this prestigious event aimed at fostering understanding, peace, and dialogue among cultures.
Zardari also remarked on the commonalities between Pakistan’s national poet, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, and the esteemed Turkmen literary figure Makhdum Gulli Fraghi, particularly in their poetry and thoughts on Sufism and nationalism. He commended Turkmenistan’s President, Sardar Berdi Muhammedov, for organizing the event to honor Makhdum Gulli Fraghi’s contributions and for facilitating interaction among regional leaders to strengthen friendships.
Additionally, President Zardari congratulated the Turkmen nation on declaring 2024 as the “Year of the Great Poet and Thinker of the Turkic World—Makhdum Gulli.”