Relations between Pakistan and Turkey have their roots in the past, back to when the Turkish Republic was reborn from the Ottoman Em-pire ruins amid cheers of muslim Indians, then subjects of British Raj. Soon after their national homeland became a reality, as in-dependent Pakistan, in April 1954, a friendship and cooperation trea- ty formalised the "entente" that was already more than "cordiale". More recently, in the last years, the two countries have increased their cultural ties, extending them to foreign policy, defence and economic issues. Both nations are densely populated, Sunni, ambitious, proud and resentful towards major neighbouring countries: Pakistan against India and Turkey against the Christian West and Russia - both also support each other on territorial issues, Turkey on Kashmir and Islamabad about Northern Cyprus. Linkages have been further intensified re-cently, under the leadership of the current Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, over hot topics such as the Afghanistan post-war management and the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. There is also sub-stantial common will to emancipate from the traditional "protectors" - the United States for Turkey and the People's Republic of China for Pakistan - and affirm a new, assertive, pan-Islamic identity.
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