ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday welcomed the announcement regarding the dissolution of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), describing it as a significant step towards sustainable peace and stability in the region.
“We consider this development as an important step towards sustainable peace and stability,” a Foreign Ministry statement said on Monday.
It said Pakistan and Turkey, bound by deep-rooted fraternal ties, have always supported each other in all areas of mutual interest, including counterterrorism efforts.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a post on social media platform X, said this historic development reflects the unflinching resolve of the Turkish leadership, under dear brother President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish nation, to continue their march forward towards reconciliation, unity, and stability.
He said that together, Pakistan and Turkey remain committed to rooting out terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
PKK declares its dissolution
Earlier, the PKK group officially declared its dissolution, bringing an end to over four decades of armed conflict with the Turkish state.
The PKK’s 12th congress, held in northern Iraq, concluded with a landmark decision to disband and end its armed struggle, in line with the longstanding calls for peace and democratic resolution from its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan.
The Turkish government has responded with cautious optimism, expressing hope that the move could pave the way for lasting peace.
Jailed PKK ringleader Abdullah Ocalan in February called for the dissolution of the PKK and all groups under it, urging an end to its terror campaign spanning over 40 years.
Designated as a terrorist organisation by NATO, the United States, and the European Union, the PKK’s decades-long insurgency against Turkey has claimed approximately 40,000 lives since the late 1970s.
Turkey to monitor steps following PKK dissolution
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Monday that there are practical steps to be taken following the decision to dissolve the PKK terror group, and that Ankara will closely monitor them.
If the decision to dissolve the PKK terror group is implemented “sincerely, it will be very beneficial for everyone, for our future,” Fidan said at a joint news conference with his Syrian and Jordanian counterparts in Ankara.
Ruling AK Party welcomes PKK decision
Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party spokesman Omer Celik on Monday said the terror group PKK’s decision to dissolve and lay down arms after a call made by the convicted PKK leader in Imrali prison is a key step toward a “terror-free Turkey.”
“The decision of the PKK to dissolve itself and lay down its arms following the call from Imrali is an important step towards the goal of ‘terror-free Türkiye’,” the spokesman said.
“If the new PKK decision is fully implemented, shutting down all PKK branches, illegal structures, it will be a turning point,” he added.
Celik stated that the “terror-free Turkiye” process will be closely monitored on the ground by state institutions, and all developments will be reported to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
