Erdogan congratulates Imran Khan on election victory

Ankara: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday congratulated Pakistan’s Prime Minister-elect Imran Khan on winning the just-concluded general elections over the phone.

Khan thanked Erdogan, calling his leadership “an example for the Islamic world,” the Anadolu Agency quoted Turkish presidential sources as saying, Xinhua reported.

In a tweet, the Pakistan embassy in Ankara confirmed the phone call between Erdogan and Khan, chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

“Both leaders agreed to further promote existing brotherly ties,” the tweet said.

Pakistan and Turkey enjoy exceptional relations and the new Pakistan government would further strengthen the ties, Khan was quoted by local media as saying.

PTI, or Pakistan Movement for Justice, said Khan will take oath as prime minister before August 14 after the party emerged as the single largest party in the July 25 elections for the National Assembly, the lower house of the country’s parliament.

Pakistan celebrates its independence from British colonial rule on August 14.

IANS