Zubair Qureshi
Ambassador-designate of Türkiye, Mehmet Paçacı is arriving in Pakistan today (Monday) to head the Turkish mission in Islamabad.
He has replaced Ambassador Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul, who was considered a true and sincere friend of Pakistan and worked hard during his posting here to strengthen bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries of Pakistan and Türkiye. Ambassador Yurdakul left the country recently after completing his diplomatic stint.
The incoming Turkish ambassador Mehmet Paçacı is a scholarly figure and has a distinguished career in Foreign Service and education spanning over decades. He has served in Washington, Vatican City and led a number of delegations representing Türkiye at various global forums, summits and dialogues.
He served as Counselor for Religious Services at the Turkish Embassy in Washington from 2007 to 2011. From 2011 to 2014 he worked as Director General, Foreign Relations at the Presidency of Religious Affairs. From 2014 to 2019 he served as his country’s ambassador to the Holy See in the Vatican City State. Prior to his assignment in Pakistan, Ambassador Mehmet worked at the Office of the Deputy Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Ambassador.
Ambassador Mehmet holds a Doctorate degree in Social Sciences—Tafseer & Hadith— from Ankara University and has served as Professor in the same university’s Faculty of Theology as Associate Professor from 1993 to 2007.
He has been championing the cause of the Muslim Ummah at various global forums and has always denounced Islamophobia calling upon the world, particularly the West to accept it as a hate crime.
