Latest news with #AntalyaDiplomacyForum2025
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First Post
04-07-2025
- Business
- First Post
Turkey expands influence in Bangladesh with defence industry plans, support to extremists
Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), is reportedly planning to establish defence industrial complexes in Chittagong and Narayanganj in collaboration with Turkish defence firms read more Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser of the Government of Bangladesh. Reuters After Pakistan, it looks like Turkey is also looking to expand its strategic footprint in Bangladesh following the ouster of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. In an unprecedented move, a top Turkish defence official is expected in Dhaka for an eight-day visit starting July 8, signalling that the two nations are looking to expand their military partnership. Economic Times reported that Haluk Gorgun, head of Turkey's Defence Industry Agency (SSB), will visit Dhaka and meet the chief of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus. He is also expected to meet army chief Gen Waqar-uz-Zaman, navy chief Admiral M Nazmul Hasan and air force chief Air Chief Marshal Hassan Mahmud Khan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), the country's primary investment promotion agency, is planning to establish defence industrial complexes in Chittagong and Narayanganj in collaboration with Turkish defence firms. BIDA executive chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun recently completed a five-day trip to Turkey. Foreign affairs adviser Md Touhid Hossain, who spoke at a conference during a visit to Turkey in April, had stressed that Bangladesh sought a reliable partner in aerospace technology, and cooperation with Turkey would be mutually beneficial. Hossain met with Turkish Aerospace president and CEO Mehmet Demirolu on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2025, where they discussed potential cooperation. Turkish intelligence supporting Islamists in Bangladesh Previously, reports indicated that Turkish intelligence agencies are allegedly providing financial and logistical support to Islamist groups in Bangladesh, particularly the radical outfit Jamaat-e-Islami, raising concerns about India's national security. Intelligence sources claim that Turkey's support extends beyond ideological alignment to include direct financial assistance. A notable example is the renovation of Jamaat's office in Dhaka's Moghbazar, allegedly funded by entities linked to Turkish intelligence, suggesting a deliberate effort to bolster the group's organisational and infrastructural capabilities. In a concerning development, Turkish authorities are said to have facilitated visits by Bangladeshi Islamist leaders and student activists, including Sadiq Qayam, to Turkish arms manufacturing facilities. Intelligence suggests these visits may aim to provide access to military expertise and potentially weapon supplies. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Turkey eyes strategic foothold in Bangladesh with defence zones
A top Turkish defence industry executive is expected to visit Bangladesh next week as the two countries seek to expand military-industry partnership. Haluk Gorgun, head of Turkey's Defence Industry Agency (SSB), is due in Dhaka on July 8 for a day-long visit during which he will pay a courtesy call on interim government Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, people familiar with the development said. Gorgun will also meet army chief Gen Waqar-uz-Zaman, navy chief Admiral M Nazmul Hasan and air force chief Air Chief Marshal Hassan Mahmud Khan. Turkey, which had limited presence in Bangladesh under the Sheikh Hasina government, is looking to expand its strategic footprint in Dhaka while Bangladesh is planning to set up two defence industry complexes with Turkey's support for domestic issue as well as exports. Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), the country's apex investment promotion agency, is planning to establish defence industrial complexes in Chittagong and Narayanganj in partnership with Turkish defence firms. BIDA executive chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun was on a five-day trip to Turkey recently. Bangladesh needs a reliable partner in aerospace technology and it would be a win-win situation for both Bangladesh and Turkey if they cooperate with each other, foreign affairs adviser Md Touhid Hossain had said at a conference while visiting Turkey in April. Hossain had a meeting with Turkish Aerospace president and CEO Mehmet Demirolu on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2025, where the two discussed cooperation.
Express Tribune
13-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Maryam advocates prioritising girls education
Listen to article Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Saturday forcefully advocated the right to education for every single child while proposing forming educational policy, teaching strategies and measures for promoting education with mutual cooperation. She addressed the fourth edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2025, delivering a powerful speech centred on education reforms, women's empowerment, and global unity. "Every child should enter school, stay in school and achieve success," said the chief minister in her historic speech titled, "Revolutionary Power of Education" at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2025. She added, "Vision of Friends of Education is to promote dignified diplomacy for the welfare of people, not the state." The chief minister invited top Turkish universities to establish campuses in Punjab, and said, "Turkish institutions should establish top centers for youth in Punjab." She added, "Mutual partnership with Turkiye and exchange program will lay the foundation for a bright future." She highlighted, "We want a future that not only Pakistan but also the future generations of Turkiye could be proud of." The Punjab chief minister said, "Collectively, we can do anything that seems difficult individually." She added, "Convening the Anatolian Diplomacy Forum under the leadership of the Turkish First Lady is a welcome development." She underscored, "The Anatolian Diplomacy Forum is a successful model of women's leadership. Together, we can solve all problems." She noted, "Success stories echo in other countries too. I am serving as a female Chief Minister in Pakistan's largest province." She said, "Revolutionary reforms are the foundation of our education policy." She added, "Education, justice, dignity and equal opportunities for women and children are our top priority." She underscored, "I want a unique style of governance in Punjab that is effective in every way." The chief minister said, "Social injustices deprive children of the right to explore their full potential." She added, "Education is not just a department but an expression of hope." She flagged, "We started the reforms from schools. Three-time Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and three-time Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif laid a solid foundation for development and reforms in Punjab." She said, "The brilliant achievements of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif in the fields of education, health, infrastructure and social development are a beacon of light for me." She added, "As the chief minister, I was not only faced with the improvement of buildings in educational institutions, but also with the challenge of changing the traditional thinking." She remarked, "The changing technology and education demand effective educational reforms. By the grace of Allah Almighty, school education reforms have begun in Punjab in a historic way. The aim of educational reforms in Punjab is not only literacy but also the learning freedom and a bright future." She highlighted, "I am directly supervising the educational reforms to make them effective. More than 4,000 primary schools across the province are being upgraded to elementary level. The aim of elementary upgradation of primary schools is the continuation of children's education after the fifth grade." She said, "Digital learning rooms are being set up in 6,000 schools to combine technology and education. The time of blackboard, chalk and duster is over, now Punjab students will learn science and technology through digital screens." She added, "I consider myself not only the Chief Minister of Punjab but also the ambassador of education. I think of myself as a mother of every student of Punjab especially for the girls' education." She underscored, "My mission is to eradicate poverty; no child should be left behind due to gender; backward areas or social barriers." Madam Chief Minister noted, "School Nutrition Program is successfully underway to address malnutrition in students especially girls in remote and under-served districts of Punjab." She said, "Girl students are most affected by the problem of malnutrition. It gives me pleasure that malnourished children in Punjab schools are receiving milk packs daily." She added, "Reforms in education are not limited to just curriculum or teaching materials, but the qualifications of the teacher are also important. After years, regular recruitment of teachers is being started in Punjab. 30,000 new teachers are being recruited in Punjab purely on merit basis and with complete transparency." She flagged, "A permanent institution has been established for the training of teachers and preparation of curriculum. Focus is being given on teacher training and curriculum development to align them with the educational goals of the new century." She said, "The center and axis of educational reforms in Punjab are only students. A learning model is being introduced keeping in mind the individual needs of each student. Work is being done on an educational platform according to the ability of each student using artificial intelligence." She added, "An Internet city named after her father is being built. Pakistan's first Artificial Intelligence University is also being established in the heart of Punjab." She narrated the story of two students from Punjab that personally affected her a lot. She said, "Nida's letter from a village of Kasur, based on her desire to acquire knowledge, inspired me to start 'Honahar' (Meritorious) Scholarship Program." She added, "Nida and her young husband were unable to bear the educational expenses, but they continued to dream of getting education. Nida, on receiving Honahar Scholarship, was the first girl in her family to reach university. The Meritorious Scholarship Program has been established for 50,000 hardworking and capable students of Punjab to acquire higher education without worrying for the dues. I feel proud that 50% of the merit scholarships are given to female students." She said, "Daughters are not just students but also future leaders, scientists and builders of the nation." She lamented, "Akram's father from south Punjab had to sell his only source of income to pay the fees for one semester because Mohammad Akram's father did not have money to pay the fees for the second semester." She highlighted, "Thanks to the merit scholarship, students like Akram can continue their education. The 2,000 students who received the merit scholarships are those who have been deprived of the shadow of their father's kindness, and the parents of 91 children are not alive." She noted, "Meritorious Scholarship is not just a statistic, but there are unimaginable painful stories behind it. Every child does not just come to class to study, but also brings sorrows of life and dreams. These heart-touching stories of Merit Scholarships are creating a new light of hope. With Merit scholarships, we are laying the foundation of a new future." Madam Chief Minister said, "Education can give us strength, pride, hope and the foundation of a bright future. Education is the greatest force that establishes social equality." She added, "The challenges we face are not limited to borders, but we think about the Palestinian mothers searching for their children under the rubble. We also have to think about the Afghan girls and the Sudanese refugees who are deprived of schools. Chains of prejudice, Kashmiri children who broke the law are a test of our conscience and a crisis of humanity." She highlighted, "Turkiye has provided a valuable opportunity to think about children's education. Turkish First Lady H.E Eiman Erdogan is convinced about children through dignified diplomacy." She vowed, "The people of Punjab and I reiterate our moral support for children and women in difficulty. We will be the voice of the helpless classes in the halls of power and on the streets. Anatolia Diplomacy Forum is not just carrying the burden of performance but also the weight of history." Turkish president Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif met Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and First Lady Emine Erdogan during her visit to Antalya, Turkiye. President Erdogan warmly welcomed the chief minister and thanked her for participating in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2025, Express News reported. He inquired about the health of her father Nawaz Sharif and expressed his best wishes. Maryam Nawaz conveyed a message of goodwill from her father and thanked the Turkish president for extending the invitation to attend the forum. Earlier, Maryam Nawaz also held a special meeting with Turkey's First Lady, Emine Erdogan. Both leaders discussed matters of mutual interest and exchanged messages of goodwill.
Arab News
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Punjab CM invites Turkish universities to expand footprint in Pakistan at Antalya Diplomacy Forum
ISLAMABAD: Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Saturday invited leading Turkish universities to expand their footprint in Pakistan's most populous province while addressing a session focused on education at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2025. The annual forum, now in its fourth edition, is hosted under the patronage of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and aims to foster dialogue and cooperation on pressing global issues. This year's theme, 'Reclaiming Diplomacy in a Fragmented World,' has drawn world leaders, diplomats and civil society actors to discuss solutions to global challenges, including education, conflict and development. Before her address, Sharif met with Erdoğan and First Lady Emine Erdoğan. The Turkish president warmly welcomed and thanked her for participating in the forum. 'I take this opportunity to invite the top universities of Türkiye to expand their presence in Punjab, to create more centers of eminence, more centers of excellence where our youth can learn, grow and lead,' she said while addressing the gathering. 'Let us ensure that our collaboration and exchange programs become the foundation for a brighter, human-centric future, a future that both Pakistanis and Turkish generations will be proud to inherit,' she added. The Punjab chief minister emphasized her provincial government's commitment to transforming education landscape. She outlined several reform initiatives, including the upgradation of more than 4,000 primary schools into elementary schools to combat generational dropouts, particularly in rural areas where children often leave school after Class 5 due to the absence of nearby middle schools. 'This upgradation is not a token gesture. It is a systemic intervention,' she said, adding that digital learning rooms were also being established in over 6,000 schools across the province to integrate technology with pedagogy. Sharif also spoke of reviving non-functional schools and turning them into 'sanctuaries of learning,' while highlighting a new nutrition program launched in underserved districts to address malnutrition among schoolchildren, especially girls. 'My government's foremost commitment is to women and children, to education and opportunity, and to dignity and justice,' she said. 'And it is in these arenas that I seek to construct a unique model of governance that is both ethical and effective.' The chief minister further announced the creation of Pakistan's first Artificial Intelligence University in Lahore and the development of the Nawaz Sharif Internet City, a hub intended to foster innovation and IT-based learning that is named after her father. 'We are recruiting about 30,000 new school teachers entirely on merit,' she informed, noting that the province had also established a dedicated institution for teacher training and curriculum development aligned with 21st-century learning goals. Sharif positioned herself during the speech not only as a political leader but also as 'an ambassador of education,' vowing to ensure that 'no child is left behind due to poverty, geography, gender or social restrictions.'
Express Tribune
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Maryam Nawaz announces AI university in Lahore, urges global focus on girls' education
Listen to article Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced the establishment of Pakistan's first Artificial Intelligence (AI) University in Lahore, stating that the initiative is set to transform the future of education in the country. Speaking at the Fourth Edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2025 in Turkey, Maryam Nawaz emphasized the global need for a renewed commitment to girls' education. She said the AI-focused educational initiatives in Punjab represent a significant step forward in reshaping traditional learning models to meet the demands of the 21st century. 'The promotion of AI-based education is changing the landscape of learning. With the establishment of Pakistan's first AI university in Lahore, we are preparing our youth for a smarter, technology-driven future,' she stated. Maryam Nawaz paid tribute to Turkish First Lady Emine Erdoğan and appreciated the efforts of the Maarif Foundation for organizing the forum at a critical global juncture. She stressed that Pakistan and Turkey, though two nations, share a unified spirit and vision, bringing with her a message of solidarity and love from the people of Punjab. Since assuming office in March 2024, the Chief Minister said she has been working to build upon the strong foundations laid by former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif. 'We began a new era of development with a renewed spirit — focusing on economic progress, education, and health infrastructure,' she noted. She also stated key educational reforms in Punjab: Over 4,000 primary schools upgraded Launch of digital learning rooms in 6,000 schools using touchscreens instead of traditional chalkboards Reopening of previously closed schools Introduction of 50,000 merit-based scholarships for talented students Daily milk program in schools to combat malnutrition Recruitment of 30,000 new teachers on merit Professional development programs for teachers aligned with modern educational needs Launch of AI-based learning platforms for students Maryam Nawaz also introduced the concept of 'Nawaz Sharif Internet City', calling it the new face of Digital Pakistan. 'Education is not just about curriculum—it is a healing force, a means to eliminate deprivation and build a better world,' she said. In her address, the Chief Minister also drew global attention to humanitarian crises, particularly affecting children in conflict zones. 'Palestinian children lie buried under rubble. In Afghanistan, girls are denied education. In occupied Jammu and Kashmir, children suffer prejudice and violence. In Sudan, children must walk miles in search of food,' she lamented. Maryam Nawaz concluded her speech with a passionate call for inclusive, just, and future-ready education, reaffirming her government's commitment to bringing every child, especially in rural areas, into the folds of modern learning.
