Thousands rose to their feet when a contingent of Turkish armed forces paraded at an Independence Day ceremony in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.
Wednesday’s ceremony, attended by President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, army chief General Asim Munir and others, was held ahead of the country’s 79th Independence Day to be celebrated on Thursday.
“Pakistan and Turkish armed forces are the beacon of stability and cooperation in the region,” the commentator said as the Turkish soldiers marched past the stage, followed by a military army band.
Salute from Turkish forces
Zardari, who is also the commander-in- chief of Pakistan’s armed forces, took the salute from the Turkish armed forces contingent, with his palm placed on his chest as a mark of respect.
Apart from Türkiye, Azerbaijan was another country whose armed forces featured in the parade.