Recep Tayyip Erdogan a visionary, dedicated, committed, charismatic leader of brother country Turkiye. Under his dynamic leadership Turkiye got international importance. He filled enthusiasm, valor and a new spirit in Turkish people. Under his leadership Turkiye and its people relinked itself with its history, culture and norms.
People of Pakistan have very sentimental attachment with Erdogan and in many mosques of the country people arranged special prayers for his victory. It indicates the closeness, deep rooted, time tested and all weathered relations with brother country Turkiye.
Erdogan became in politics led by veteran politician Necmettin Erbakan. In 1994 Erdogan was elected as mayor of Istanbul, where implemented a serious of reforms that modernized city’s infrastructure. In 1998 he was convicted for reciting an Islamic poem by Zia Gokalp that compared the mosques with barracks and the faithful as soldiers . Erdogan was released from prison in 1999 and formed his own party AKP which is known as Justice and Development Party. Erdogan received a landslide victory in 2002. When his political ban was lifted, Erdogan became Prime Minister after winning a by-election in Siirt in 2003. Erdogan led the AKP to two more elections in 2007 and 2011. Huge development activities were witnessed including heavy investment in roads, airports and high- speed train work. He also won two successful constitution referendum in 2007 and 2010. In 2014, Erdogan become the nation’s first popular elected president. During his tenure as Mayor Istanbul he resolved many chronic problems including water shortage, pollution and traffic chaos. The water problems were solved with the laying of hundreds of kilometers pipelines. The garbage problem was solved with the established state of the art recycling facilities. Air Pollution was reduced through a plan developed to switch the natural gas. He introduced environmentally friendly development projects in the country. The city’s traffic and transportation jams were reduced with constructing more than fifty bridges, Viaducts and highways. He took precautionary measures to prevent corruption, using measures to ensure that municipal funds were used prudently. He paid back a major portion of Istanbul Metropolitan municipality’s two billion US dollars debt and invested four billion dollars in the city. Erdogan initiated the first-round taste of Mayors during the Istanbul Conference, which led to a global, organized movement of mayors. A seven members international jury form the United Nations unanimously awarded Erdogan The UN Habitat Award. Erdogan as Prime Minister attracted foreign investment and he provided business and investment friendly atmosphere to them.
The Cash inflow into the Turkish economy between 2002 and 2012 caused a growth of 64% in real GDP, 43% increase in GDP per capita. The growth in real GDP between 2002 and 2012 was higher than the value from developed countries. Erdogan inherited a debt of US$ 23.5 billion to IMF which was reduced to US$ 0.9 billion in 2012. In 2002 Turkiye had US$ 26.5 billion foreign reserves which raised to US$ 92.2 billion, During Erdogan’s period inflation fell from 32 to 9% in 2004. Turkish public debt as a percentage of GDP was 74% in 2002 which reduced to 39% in just in six years. In 2003, the Labour Act, a comprehensive reform of Turkey’s labour law was introduced. The law greatly expanded the rights of employees, establishing a 45 hour work per week and limiting overtime to 270 hours yearly, provided legal protection against discrimination due to sex, religious or political affiliation , prohibited discrimination between temporary permanent workers , entitled employee termination without “ valid cause” to compensation, mandated written contract employment, agreements lasting a year or more. Erdogan increased budget of education from 7.5 billion Lira to 34 billion liras in 2011, the higher share of the national budget to ministry. Compulsory education was increased from eight years to 12. During Erdogan’s premiership the number of universities in Turkiye nearly doubled from 98 in 2002 to 186 in 2012.
Under the Erdogan government number of Airports in Turkiye increased from 26 to 50 in the period of ten years. Between the founding of Turkiye in 1923 to 2002, there had been 6,000 km of dual carriage way roads created between 2003 to 2011, another 13,500 km of express way were built. Due to these reasons number of accidents fell by fifty percent. For the first time, in Turkish history high speed railway lines were constructed, and the country’s high speed train service began in 2009. In eight years, 1076 Km of railway were built and 5,449 Km railway were renewed. Erdogan is co- founder of, “ United Nations Alliance of Civilization “ ( UNAC).
Erdogan ranked first place in the world 500 most influential Muslims in 2019. Tayyip Erdogan is a visionary leader. Few countries have such sort of hardworking, committed, dedicated and charismatic leaders. People of Turkiye are very fortunate that they have a very sincere and honest leader. On 28th May, 2023 which was a historic occasion when Erdogan won the second phase of presidential election.
An Airport which is the largest in the world has been built, a bridge on Bosporus, network of local roads, highways and bridges have been developed in Anatolia. In total, projects under public-private partnership (PPP) in the year 2003-2018 included 5,600 km of highways, 11800 km of high-speed railway tracks or 44,300 new beds in 32 integrated health campuses are those shining achievements of Tayyip Erdogan. On the other hand, the state budget for the years 20017-2023 provided funds in the amount of USD 80 billion for road investments and energy goals, USD 39 billion for renewable energy, USD 35 billion for nuclear energy, USD 15 billion for local energy and US$ 10 billion for other energy sources, as well as the expansion of airports, railways and ports US$ 30 billion for each branch.
Estimated data for Infrastructure investments in Turkiye for 2017-2023
US $ billion
Nature of infrastructure Amount spent US$ billion
Roads 80
Renewable Energy 39
Nuclear Energy 36
Airports 30
Railways 30
Ports 30
Telecom 25
Local Coal 15
Other energy 10
The healthcare system has undergone significant reforms during the AKP’s rule and is seen as one of the greatest achievements of the Erdogan’s era. . According to Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) data, the percentage of citizens satisfied “or “very satisfied” with the national healthcare system increased from 40% in 2003 to almost 75% in 2013. Tayyip Erdogan governments reforms introduced in Turkiye included among others, compulsory universal insurance model that covered all citizens (finally introduced in 2008). As a result of the reforms, some health care services, such as ambulances and cancer treatment, have been become free on both public and private hospitals.
Erdogan’s leadership has a great cultural character. Erdogan implemented religious sentiments and norms without sacrificing democracy and made Islam as the symbol of humanism, harmony, love and integration. He raised the lives and status of the people, introduces knowledge-based economy, built a very strong image of Turkiye, its culture and its people. The Turkey’s official Directorate of Religious Affairs data of 2014, about 99% of Turkish population identifies as Muslims. For many Turks, being a Muslim is synonymous with being a Turk. During the military coup in 1980s the dress-code of officials at workplaces was defined. From that moment, women covering their hair could no longer be employed in public administration structures. As a result of 1997, reforms, the ban was also extended to universities and since then all women using this headwear could neither study not give lectures at universities. This ban in the name of defending secularism excluded thousands of women every year from being able to study and graduate. This was highly discriminatory, violating women’s rights to education, freedom of thought, conscience and religion. Most important case was of Leyla Sahin, a medical student at Istanbul University, removed in 1998. Erdogan restored the religious rights of the people which enhanced his popularity.
People of Pakistan, intellectuals, ulemas, Islamic scholars, youth are very happy over the victory of Tayyip Erdogan. The brotherhood, strong and deep friendship between Turkiye and Pakistan are strengthening day by day. Both countries are standing side by side on various international and regional issues. Turkiye despite facing difficult economic situation due to devastating earth quake, is a role model for Muslim countries in economic development, modernization without sacrificing their culture, norms and traditions.