The Turkish professor and the Pakistani honorary consul in Izmir were presented with the Pakistan Civil Award by Pakistan's ambassador in Turkiye at a ceremony Wednesday.

Ambassador Yousaf Junaid presented the award to Turkish dignitaries professor Asuman Belen Özcan and Cahit Yaşar Eren on behalf of Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi at an investiture ceremony held at Pakistan House in Ankara.

President Alvi had conferred the prestigious Sitara-e-Imtiaz award upon Özcan, the chairperson and head of the Department of Urdu Language and Literature at Ankara University, and the Sitara-i-Pakistan award upon Yaşar Eren, Honorary Consul General of Pakistan in Izmir.

The awards were conferred upon the Turkish dignitaries in recognition of their distinguished services to Pakistan and the strengthening of Pakistan-Türkiye relations.

Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Junaid extended the heartiest felicitations to the recipients of the Pakistan Civil Awards on this well-deserved honor. He commended their invaluable services to Pakistan and their contributions toward the further strengthening of Pakistan-Türkiye ties.

Noting that centuries-old Pakistan-Türkiye fraternal relations are embedded in their common religious, cultural, linguistic and spiritual heritage, the ambassador said this blessed relationship "has been nurtured by sincere dedicated efforts of our earlier generations. Now the responsibility lies with us to further strengthen it and pass this sacred trust to our future generations."

Ankara Governor Vasip Şahin, Turkish dignitaries and prominent people from the business fraternity attended the ceremony.