Turkey-Pakistan relations have always been maintained at a decent level and in a friendly manner. There have been three primary spheres of cooperation that characterize the relations between these two countries since Pakistan gained independence in 1947. First of all, both Turkish and Pakistani societies have a common cultural heritage whose roots are ingrained in history. There is no other way than this to describe the mutual sympathy that both societies have towards one another. In the past, each society offered assistance to the other when it was in need of help. For instance, Indian Muslims in the area known today as Pakistan helped the Turkish people during the Turkish War of Independence that took place directly after WWI.
To give another example, Pakistan was one of the countries that offered the most assistance to Turkey after the 1999 Marmara Earthquake. Alternately, the Turkish people have also afforded the Pakistani people significant assistance after the disastrous earthquakes and floods that hit the country in the 2000s. There is no doubt that this solid friendship between the peoples of these two countries constitutes the most powerful aspect of Turkish-Pakistani relations.
In the light of the beautiful bond between the two brotherly countries, Turkey’s popular Film & TV actress, Esra Belgic, also famously known as ‘Halima Sultan’ after her character in a legendary Turkish series, Dirilis: Ertugrul. The Turkish show is an extremely popular show in Pakistan, it received most of its viewership from the country across the globe and similarly, the characters played by the Turkish actors also received an equal amount of love and appreciation.
Just recently, Esra tweeted a photo of two soldiers from the Pakistan and Turkish armies holding and kissing their national flags in their hands. The Tweet got well received by Esra’s Pakistani fans as she pens down the appreciation for both militaries for their sacrifice and valor for Pakistan and Turkey.
The tweet as quoted “Let me take a moment to honor these unsung heroes who are sacrificing their lives for our countries. No doubt, we are 2 states but one nation Flag of TurkeyFlag of Pakistan Aşk #Türkiye, Aşk #Pakistan“
This isn’t the first time a Turkish actor from such an esteemed career have spoken in favor of Pakistan, previously some other leading stars have expressed their gratitude towards their Pakistani fans and also admired the country for what it holds.
Esra Bilgiç (born 14 October 1992) is a Turkish actress and model. She portrayed Halime Hatun in the historical adventure television series Diriliş: Ertuğrul from 2014 to 2018. She is currently the leading actress in the crime drama series Ramo.
CAREER
From 2014, She starred in the TV series Diriliş: Ertuğrul telecast on TRT 1. Her co-actors were Engin Altan Düzyatan and Hülya Darcan. Diriliş: Ertuğrul is about the heroic story of the father of Osman I, Ertuğrul, who turns a small tribe of Anatolya into a Sultanate. Esra Bilgiç appeared as Halime Hatun in the series, but in 2018 she left Diriliş: Ertuğrul because of the changes in the new season; her character, however, died in 1281, and not as early as it was shown in the TV series. Esra also appeared in Bir Umut Yeter. In 2019, Bilgiç was asked to play a leading role in the film Adaniş Kutsal Kavga. The film will be released in March, 2020. She is currently the female lead in the Turkish crime-drama TV series Ramo, with co-stars Murat Yıldırım.
PERSONAL LIFE
Esra Bilgiç began dating a professional Turkish footballer, Gökhan Töre, in 2014. The couple got married on 21 October 2017 and divorced on 17 June 2019. She studied the subject of “International Relations” at Bilkent International University, Istanbul, and is currently studying law at İstanbul Şehir University.
AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
Bilgiç has won several awards. Some of them are:
| Awards | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Awards Ceremony | Category | Project | Result |
| 2014 | Antalya TV Awards | Best Female Actress in series | Diriliş: Ertuğrul | Won |
| 2015 | Sosyal Farkındalık Ödülleri | Best Female Actress in series | Won | |
| 2015 | 18. Sadri Alışık Theater and cinema Awards | Best Female Actress | Won | |
| 2015 | Anadolu Media Ödülleri | Best Actress of the Series | Won | |
| 2016 | Türkiye Gençlik Ödülleri | Best Female Actress | Won |
All in all, Turkey and Pakistan are two countries that share a long-lasting and strong friendly relationship. It is necessary that these friendly relations promote a perspective for the future that is based on a shared vision, and if this is done, relations will continue to develop. However, the level of bilateral economic cooperation still remains well below what is expected and if the mutual friendship is not turned into an economic partnership, the desire for better relations will not be met.
