Islamabad: 18 March 2022 – Çanakkale Victory and Commemoration of the Martyrs and 101th Anniversary of the Adoption of Turkish National Anthem Ceremony Program was co-organized by the Turkish Embassy in Islamabad and Pak-Turk Maarif İnternational School at later’s campus H-8, Islamabad today.
Tens of thousands of soldiers died in one of the world’s most ferocious battles 106 years ago in the Gallipoli campaign in the Ottoman Empire during the World War I. The battle took place between April 25, 1915 and Jan. 9, 1916.
Britain and France wanted to secure their ally Russia, as the Gallipoli peninsula provides a sea route to what was then the Russian Empire. Their aim was to capture the capital of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul.Turks repelled a naval attack, and there were many casualties on both sides during the eight-month offensive.When the land campaign also failed, the invading forces withdrew.
Victory against the Allied forces boosted the morale of the Turkish side, which then went on to wage a war of independence in 1919-1922, and eventually formed a republic in 1923 from the ashes of the old empire.
The symbol of Turkish independence struggle is the 101st anniversary of the adoption of Turkish National Anthem, the mark of our struggle for independence. Turkey remembers martyrs and national poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy with mercy and gratitude.
Federal Minister of Pakistan for Human Rights Ms Shereen Mazari was the chief guest. Ambassador H.E Mustafa Yurdakul welcomed the guests and shed light on the history of both events.
Ms Shereen Mazari payed rich tributes to martyrs and noted that Turkish nation is always admired for they remember their martyrs and do not hesitate to sacrifice their lives for their homeland. She said “Winston Churchill was not a good soldier if we see his war record. He was defeated by Turks and he was also defeated by Pashtuns of Sub -Continent India.”
The minister also recalled the support of Muslims of Indo-Pak Sub -Continent including Pakistan during the movement of saving the Khilafat of Turkey.
He said 18 march and this specific occasion brings about many important events many important characters and of course intensive and subversive thoughts to one’s mind.First of all it’s about for some people for some countries it is just a small campaign of the first world war Gallipoli campaign as widely known for us it was very different and it will always remain very distinctive and different from that perception.
Ambassador said that Turkish nation, when it is necessary can can offer the ultimate sacrifice which is giving their blood for the well-being and preservation of the motherland.
Yes we proved that but we proved that at the expense of hundreds of thousands of martyrs in that one single campaign that’s why we will remain always indebted to them that’s why we will never forget their memory their legacy and we will always see 18 march 1915 as the start of something new as a new beginning from the roots of the ottoman empire which is now called the Republic of Turkey
Çanakkale was a beginning of some very important character as well. This battle proved the war abilities of Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) who was a young general at that time and who proved to be a military genius who made life so unbearable to the allied forces and at the end of the day after a very blood thirsty campaign they have to withdraw and they had to postpone their dreams to reach out to Istanbul.
Tazeen Akhtar
