ISLAMABAD: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan would address joint session of the Parliament on Monday, who would be the seventh world leader to address Pakistan’s Parliament.
During his three-day visit to Pakistan starting from May 20, the Turkish Prime Minister will address joint session of the Parliament on Monday.Erdogan would be the first world leader to address the joint sitting of Pakistan’s Parliament twice, so far.Earlier, he had addressed the Parliament in October 2009 and was then the fourth world leader who spoke to the parliament.
He would be the second Turkish leader to address Pakistan’s Parliament as earlier former Turkish President Kenan Evren had also addressed the joint session. Evren remained in office from November 1982 to 1989.Earlier on December 19, 2010, Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao had addressed the joint sitting being the sixth foreign dignitary to have the honor.In 1997, Queen Elizabeth II addressed joint session who had visited Pakistan on 50th anniversary of country’s independence.
In September 1992, the then Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani visited Pakistan and addressed joint session, besides holding discussions with his counterpart on future of Afghanistan besides economic cooperation.Earlier, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Sirimavo Bandaranaike visited Pakistan on 4 to 9 September 1974 during the era of late Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and addressed the joint sitting of the Senate and National Assembly.Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani is the only head of the government who was accorded very special honour to address the Turkish Parliament during his visit. -Dawn
