ISTANBUL: President Mamnoon Hussain and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu have agreed to enhance cooperation between Pakistan and Turkey in diverse areas, including defence, economy, energy, infrastructure and science and technology.

Mr Hussain and Mr Davutoglu, who met here on Thursday on the sidelines of the 13th Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), agreed that terrorism was a huge threat and there was a need for a joint strategy to tackle this menace.

They were unanimous that the countries from Muslim world should address their differences through talks.

They said that close, warm and brotherly relationship between Pakistan and Turkey served as an example for other Muslim nations.

The two leaders called for further strengthening and broadening the Pakistan-Turkey ties.

The president thanked Turkey for its active role in the OIC’s Contact Group on Kashmir.

Earlier, President Hussain joined leaders of the Muslim world at opening session of 13th summit of the 56-member OIC, being hosted by Turkey, from April 14 to 15.

The opening session, attended by around 30 heads of government and state from the OIC countries, was addressed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister of Egypt Sameh Shoukry and OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani.

At the start of the opening session, the chairmanship of the 13th Islamic Summit was handed over to Turkey. Egypt was the chair of 12th Islamic Summit.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2016