Turkish parliament head marks Pakistan's National Day

ANKARA

The Turkish parliament speaker on Tuesday sent a letter to the heads of the Pakistani parliament's upper and lower houses to mark the country’s National Day.

"The mutual will to develop these precious ties between our countries in a way that serves the common benefit of our rights is gratifying," Mustafa Sentop said in the letter addressing Sadiq Sanjrani, chairman of the Senate, and Asad Qaiser, speaker of the National Assembly.

"With these thoughts, I wish peace and prosperity to the friendly and brotherly people of Pakistan, and to you, the valuable members of the Pakistani National Assembly, and the Pakistani Senate," the letter read.

Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also marked the day.

"Sincere congratulations to friendly and brotherly #Pakistan on its National Day. Jeevay Pakistan!" he tweeted.

March 23 marks the adoption of the Pakistan Resolution in 1940 at a summit of Muslim leaders in Lahore city in which the subcontinent's Muslim leaders set the agenda for a separate homeland for Muslims.

Seven years after the Pakistan Resolution was adopted, Pakistan became an independent and sovereign state on Aug. 14, 1947, under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, popular as Quaid-e-Azam or the great leader.

On March 23, 1956, the country also adopted its first Constitution, making Pakistan the world's first Islamic republic.