LAHORE: (Sunday, April 27, 2025): Punjab University Faculty of Oriental Learning in collaboration with the Yunus Emre Institute Turkish Cultural Center Pakistan jointly organized a two-day international conference on the similarities between the philosophical and poetic works of Allama Iqbal and Turkish national poet Muhammad Akif Ersoy. On this occasion, Consul General of Turkiye in Lahore H. E. Durmus Bastug, PU VC Prof Dr Muhammad Ali, Director, Yunus Emre Institute Turkish Cultural Center Pakistan, Prof Dr Halil Toker, Dean Faculty of Oriental Learning Prof Dr Muhammad Kamran, faculty members and a large number of students were present. In his address, Durmus Bastug inaugurated an exhibition of pictures showcasing the glorious moments of Turkish history. He emphasized the significance of promoting the teachings of Allama Iqbal and Akif Ersoy. He highlighted the importance of the alliance between Turkiye and Pakistan as two pillars of the Muslim Ummah. Prof Dr Muhammad Ali highlighted the vision and similarities of the two great poets. He emphasized the importance of discipline and merit in achieving academic excellence. He also stressed the potential of Pakistan-Turkiye alliance in the current global scenario. He said that he is committed to improving the ranking and quality of PU to meet international academic standards. Prof Dr Halil Toker shed light on the philosophical and poetic similarities between the two great poets. He emphasized the respect for Allama Iqbal's philosophy in Turkiye. Prof Dr Muhammad Kamran likened Allama Iqbal and Akif Ersoy to “two eyes of the Muslims”. Prof Dr Saadat Saeed, Prof Dr Baseera Ambreen, Muneeb Iqbal, Prof Dr Muhammad Nasir, Prof Dr Zahid Aziz, Dr Amir Ali, Mr. Eren, Dr Muhammad Naeem, Dr Sajid Siddique Nizami, Dr Beenish Mushtaq, Dr Aneela Saleem, Sonia Saleem and Dr Zaheer Abbass presented their research papers during the conference. The conference served as a platform for intellectual discourse, fostering a deeper understanding of the shared values and ideals between Pakistan and Turkiye.