Turkey and Pakistan: Two countries, one nation After a recent trip from İstanbul to Ankara, I told a group of friends that Turkey is no less than Switzerland. Suat Erguvan of the Rumi Forum here smilingly quipped: “It is a lot more. … Turkey is Switzerland with minarets.” Having withstood the tests of time, wars and natural disasters, Islamabad and Ankara remain the closest of allies and the best of friends. Any debate remains incomplete without reference to the thoughts of Amir Khusrow and Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi. At a time when Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar and Muhammad Ali Jinnah were struggling for Pakistan, many Muslims in the British army absconded and fought alongside the Turkish troops and even risked their lives. Those who survived chose to stay in Turkey. While some refer to Turkey as Pakistan with a red flag, others find similar nostalgia reflected in the logo of the PakTurk International Schools & Colleges that reads: Two Countries, One Nation! Turkey unequivocally backed Pakistan over the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, and Islamabad has always stood by Ankara on the Cyprus issue. Both nations secretly but courageously extended vital military support in testing times of war amid US arms embargoes. Undoubtedly, the relationship seems too good to be true on the political and diplomatic fronts. Believe it or not, the situation is quite the contrary on the people-to-people level, while trade between two inseparable nations remains at a meager $782 million. The İstanbul-Islamabad train line, to resume service on Aug. 2, offers a pragmatic promise for the future. Now that Turkey is pursuing a trade goal of $1 trillion with its sizzling growth rate and expanding diplomatic outreach, Pakistan can be a catalyst in realizing the Turkish dream. The non-Arab Muslim countries of Iran, Pakistan and Turkey had established the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) between 1964 and 1979. Revival of the RCD-era land link via the 6,500-kilometer-long rail line passing through Iran can be vital to Turkey’s trade with China, Afghanistan and the rather distant nations of Central Asia. The ambitious, yet doable, $1 trillion trade goal surely needs a sizeable increase in trade with China. Trade with this country approaches only $2.5 billion today. With the land route offering a safe, cheaper and faster channel for exports from China to Turkey and even to Europe, both of these major players and close allies of Pakistan will benefit from this win-win scenario. For China, trade with Turkey via rail offers increased access to the Iranian market, not to mention the strategic advantage and bargaining power over the United States. For a successful land link between Turkey and China, the Karakoram Highway (KKH) would play a pivotal role. Islamabad and Beijing are already working to widen the road in addition to upgrading facilities for freight trucks and passenger comfort. The more ambitious project of an Islamabad-Urumqi train line can even promote Turkish interest in the technological and investment sectors. Moreover, the revived rail link can also ease costs and the time span for Turkish goods to enter Afghanistan and Tajikistan, if not other nations. On the more crucial and delicate subject of Pakistan-Turkey trade, traders and investors from both sides are stuck with stereotypes. The Pakistanis generally believe that the two nations have parallel economies and that enhanced trade is too idealistic. Until recently, the ill-intentioned American phrase “AfPak” has created a misperception about the lifestyle and security situation in Pakistan. If history is any guide, the two sides’ businessmen have failed to take part in many feasible ventures due to the language barrier. The Turks don’t understand any language but Turkish, which a rare number of Pakistanis can speak. There is no way of finding even one legal expert who knows Urdu and Turkish in both nations. Many trade deals signed with good intentions have fallen prey to differing interpretation of the agreements. For that matter, the respective boards of investment and chambers of commerce need to hire experts who not only excel in agreement drafting but who have also mastered the Turkish and Urdu languages. Such a timely measure can translate emotional and political bonds into a functional one. For Turkish investors, there is a lot to learn from the Chinese success story in Pakistan. For a nation with great taste buds, the Chinese brought their food before their products invaded Pakistan’s streets and villages. I have yet to savor a cuisine more suited to the Pakistani culinary taste than the Turkish one. Despite American security warnings and soaring anti-US sentiment here, fast food outlets such as Subway, Nandos, Pizza Hut, McDonald’s and KFC continue to post high profits. For those who have tasted Turkish pizza (lahmacun), İskender or döner kebab, American-style fast food would soon become a thing of the past. Ironically, Turkish food chains are oblivious to this reality. Hardly any Turk can ignore the enticing smell of Pakistani-style biryani rice or chicken pulao (“pilav” in Turkish) if sold in a narrow street near Taksim Square. Two people with a sweet tooth can mutually swap Pakistani sohan halwa with Turkish delight and their blends of tea. To cut a long story short, the route to the Pakistanis’ pockets goes through their stomach. While Chinese products bring many levels of quality and cost, the Pakistanis love to live beyond their means and prefer buying expensive items of European brands. Turkish brands such as Beko can easily compete with their Chinese counterpart Hiar or Korean Samsung. Turkey, with a proven record of excellence in construction projects, is exactly what Pakistan needs to replace its worn-out structures. Except for the Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore, all of Pakistan’s main cities need bigger, futuristic and spacious airport terminals and runways. Turkey sees its future as a keen investor in energy products, and Pakistan has untapped potential for run-of-the-river and wind energy projects. Presently, a Turkish company has installed windmills in Jhimpir, Thatta district, in the south of Pakistan. Decades of negligence have finally worn out most of Pakistan Railways’ 7,791 kilometers of track, while 559 stations need modernizing. One wonders as to how wise it would be for Turkey to leave it to the aggressive Chinese investors. Such investments can bring hope and jobs, thus helping reduce the flow of illegal immigrants to Europe via Turkey. For an innovative approach to mutually beneficial business, the Pakistanis and the Turks need to travel beyond İstanbul and Ankara, and Karachi and Islamabad, respectively. The two economies are not parallel at all -- and even if there are commonalities, the two can greatly complement each other. Thankfully, the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) is nearing completion of its travel documentary across Pakistan to introduce this 180-million-strong nation to its viewers, while the producers of a popular drama series, “Khuda Zameen se Gaya Nahin” (God Has Not Dumped Us), are keen to share it with a private Turkish entertainment channel. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Davos walkout and the Humanitarian Aid Foundation’s (İHH) flotilla initiative bring renewed warmth for the Turkish nation. Pakistani media channels are already contemplating opening bureaus in İstanbul and Ankara. In the absence of Turkish satellite channels and music in Pakistan, cultural programs at the PakTurk educational institute offer a mild but pleasant reference to a similar and yet unknown culture. More is eagerly awaited. Turkish higher education hardly acknowledges the degrees of many leading Pakistani universities, thus reducing the level of educational exchange compared to the ‘80s and ‘90s. Not only does greater interaction for youth and media have to increase manifold, Turkey can help Pakistan in the realm of sports. For example, offering coaching to football clubs here or holding a non-European football event for teams from Central Asia, Pakistan, Iran and maybe Afghanistan could offer multiple business and cultural dividends. While the Turkish focus has expanded beyond the European Union, it surely needs to give special attention to the 180 million people in Pakistan, which is more a part of the Middle East and Central Asia than culturally distant and religiously remote South Asia. *The writer is an Islamabad-based journalist with special focus on diplomacy, trade and security issues. He won the UN X-Cultural Reporting Award 2010 for a joint project with the non-profit organization Silent Heroes, Invisible Bridges. 2010-07-25 Muhabir: Naveed Ahmad*
Posted on: Sat, 27 Jul 2013 00:08:32 +0000
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