Pakistan seeks Turkish help to end terrorism

By Javed Mahmood

For CentralAsiaOnline.com

2011-04-11

KARACHI – Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari travelled to Istanbul April 11 for four days of meetings to seek Turkish government help in ending regional terrorism and initiating a peace process with the Taliban, officials said.

Zardari hopes to enlist the help of key Turkish official in stopping terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan, presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar told Central Asia Online by phone from Islamabad.

Turkish officials will support Pakistan and Afghanistan’s effort to hold peace talks with the Taliban that are essential to restoring peace, he said.

In May, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkey could hold a joint meeting with the Taliban to motivate them to embrace peace, he added.