Pakistan extends felicitations to Turkey on outcome of referendum
President and Prime Minister of Pakistan issued separate messages.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Pakistan has extended felicitations to the government and people of Turkey on the outcome of the referendum for the constitutional amendment.
The President and Prime Minister of Pakistan in their separate messages to the Turkish leaders have congratulated Turkey over this important decision.
In their messages, they have highlighted that thisaffirmative vote for a constitutional amendment in Sunday’s referendum is reflective of the desire of the Turkish people for a strong Turkey.
They have expressed hope that it would help consolidate the impressive gains made in Turkey over the past 15 years for stability and prosperity and pave the way for continued accelerated progress of the Turkish people in future.
In these messages, Pakistani leadership has reaffirmed the strong desire of the people of Pakistan for further strengthening the historic bonds of friendship between the two countries and their peoples through mutually beneficial cooperation and exchanges.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan narrowly won the historic referendum on Sunday that will tighten his grip on power.
The sweeping constitutional changes approved in the vote create a presidential system that will grant Erdogan more power than any leader since modern Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and his successor Ismet Inonu.
The result could also have even wider implications for Turkey which joined NATO in 1952 and for the last half-century has set its sights on joining the European Union.
The ‘Yes’ campaign won 51.4 percent of the vote against 48.6 percent for ‘No’, the election commission said in figures quoted by state news agency Anadolu, in a count based on 99.5 percent of the ballot boxes. Turnout was a high 85 percent.
As huge crowds of flag-waving supporters celebrated on the streets, Erdogan praised Turkey for taking a "historic decision".
