Why Turkey supported Pakistan in conflict with India? Expert exposes Erdogan’s ‘Ottoman Empire’ dreams, says Ankara-Islamabad relations driven by…
India-Pakistan tensions: China and Turkey were the only two countries who openly supported Pakistan in its recent conflict with India, even as the rest of the world, including other Muslim powers such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and more, adopted a neutral stance and supported India’s fight against terrorism.
Both China and Turkey supplied advanced weaponry, like drones and missiles to Pakistan, as the enemy nation launched strikes on Indian cities following Operation Sindoor, which was carried out by Indian armed forces in response to the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 last month.
While China’s stance was predictable given its long-standing ties with Islamabad, the support from Turkey came as a surprise to many as Ankara has had good relations with New Delhi in the recent past.
Pakistan-Turkey relations driven by Erdogan’s caliphate dream?
According to experts, the truth behind the newly-revamped Pakistan-Turkey relations lies in Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s dream of re-establishing a modern version of the Ottoman Empire, and expanding Ankara’s influence in the Islamic world by “reviving the past glory of Turkey”.
Speaking to DD News, Zahack Tanvir, a veteran journalist, activist, and foreign affairs expert, noted that Turkey’s new alliance with Islamabad in rooted in the efforts of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to revive the Ottoman Caliphate and assert himself as a leader of a global Islamic empire under him.
Tanvir pointed out that Erdogan has set his sights on empowering Pakistan because it is a nuclear-armed nation and a major military power in the Muslim world. “Pakistan was created on the basis of religion, and Turkey’s history is linked to the Ottoman Empire, the last Islamic caliphate. Additionally, Pakistan is also important from a geographical point of view. This is why Erdogan wants Islamabad under Turkey’s umbrella,” he said.
The expert also highlighted how Pakistan is a key part of the Erdogan’s plan to ‘conquer’ the Muslim world by rebuilding a modern version of the Ottoman Empire, with him at the helm.
How Turkey is influencing Pakistan’s local culture?
He noted that apart from military and financial assistance, Turkey is also making attempts to influence Pakistani culture by importing its own, which includes the release of an Urdu-dubbed version of ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’– a popular Turkish web series based on the life of Ertuğrul Ghazi, the father of Osman I, the founder of the Ottoman Empire.
As per experts, Erdogan’s narrative has found support among Pakistan top military and civilian leadership, hence Ankara is openly standing with Islamabad in the conflict with New Delhi, and often brings up the Kashmir issue, which it has no stake or business in.
The Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Caliphate, founded by Osman I in the 13th century, was a major part of the Sunni Islamic caliphate under the Ottoman dynasty in the Ottoman Empire. At its peak, the Ottoman Empire ruled Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Romania, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and a large part of the Arabian Peninsula from 1517 to 1924.
However, the its collapse was triggered during the First World War, after which the Ottoman Caliphate ended, giving birth to modern day Turkey or Türkiye.
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