Representative of TRNC Dilsad Senol, Director General Ministry of Foreign Affairs Imran Haider, Chairman Senate Defence Committee Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Senator Shahzad Waseem, Maulana Tahir Ashrafi, Ambassador of Turkiye Mehmet Piicaci and others cutting cake to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the proclamation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, at Islamabad Serena Hotel. PO Photo by Sh Arif
Zubair Qureshi
Representative for the Turkish Republic of the Northern Cyprus (TRNC), DilsadSenol while addressing a reception hosted to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Proclamation of the TRNC highlighted ‘the substantial progress’ the island has achieved in various domains including democracy, economy, social equality and human rights (HR).
The reception turned out to be a well-attended event participated by fellow diplomats, members of the Parliament, notable personalities of the town and of course, a large number of the Turkish nationals who had turned up to greet Ambassador DilsadSenol and her spouse Akin Can Senol.
Among those who attended the celebration included Ambassador of the ‘motherland’ Turkiye, Dr Mehmet Pacaci, Senators SitaraAyaz, DrShehazadWaseem, MushahidHussainSayed, Faisal KarimKundi, Head of the All Pakistan Ulema Council TahirMehmoodAshrafi, former Information Minister Nisar A Memon and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were among the guests of honour.
A large number of the members of the business community, and media representatives were also present there. In her address, DilsadSenol expressed the significance of the national day for the TRNC, particularly following the Republic’s admission to the Organization of the Turkic States in 2022, which is “a rising international actor,” she said.
Our nation stands at the forefront of the Eastern Mediterranean in higher education and tourism, two pivotal sectors driving our economy. Already we have Observer member status of the OIC as well as the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO),” she said.
Highlighting the Cyprus issue she said four decades ago, the TRNC people proclaimed their independent state as a concrete expression of their rightful freedom and sovereignty. We have been resisting against all attempts made to eliminate TRNC people’s legitimate political will and rightful existence on the island of Cyprus, she said. Despite the continuous goodwill and constructive approach shown by the TRNC, many efforts have been made and failed over the past five decades through numerous UN-facilitated negotiations, she said adding such efforts were made at reaching an agreement under a “bi-zonal and bi-communal federation” based on political equality of the two sides.
