LAHORE: Punjab Senior Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal inaugurated a three-day Pakistan-Türkiye Medica Expo-2022 here at Expo Centre, on Thursday.
Punjab Minister for Health Dr Akhtar Malik and Deputy Health Minister Türkiye Associate Prof Tolga Tolunay, Punjab Chief Secretary Abdullah Sumbal, Primary and Secondary Secretary Dr Irshad Ahmad, Secretary Specialized Health Imran Sikandar Baloch, and a large number of students participated in the event.
Pakistani and Turkish medical, pharma and biomedical companies have set up their stalls at the expo.
After the opening, the senior minister and others inspected the stalls.
Talking to the media, the minister said that Türkiye, China, Singapore and other countries had invested in the Special Economic Zones of Punjab and this investment was an alternative to imports.
“Turkish investors have invested 500 million dollars in various sectors in the Special Economic Zones of Faisalabad,” he added.
He noted that the issuance of health cards was a revolutionary initiative of the Punjab government, adding that through health cards, people were getting quality treatment facilities for free. He said that deep fraternal, friendly relations were established between Pakistan and Türkiye, adding that Türkiye also had a prominent position in medical technology and Pakistan could upgrade its hospitals by using Turkish technology.
The senior minister said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had created a special technology zone authority at the federal level for promotion of technology in its government. “Special technology zones are being created in Punjab and the government will welcome Turkish investors in Special Economic Zones and Special Technology Zones,” he added.
The Punjab government was advancing Imran Khan’s concept of an Islamic welfare state, he said and added that the concept of true freedom was incomplete without economic freedom.
Deputy Health Minister Tolga Tolunay said that the brotherhood of Pakistan and Türkiye was exemplary, adding that both countries had stood by each other in times of trouble.
He said that Türkiye has always supported Pakistan’s position on the Kashmir issue, adding that practical steps were needed to increase bilateral trade as the volume of trade between the two countries was low.
Dr Yasmin Rashid and Akhtar Malik highlighted the initiatives for the promotion of the health sector and the cooperation between Pakistan and Türkiye in this sector.
