Ertugrul star meets terminally ill Pakistani children

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AA) - Turkey's leading actor Engin Altan Duzyatan on Tuesday met three terminally ill Pakistani children via video link.

The actor is best known for his role as Ertugrul in the Turkish series Resurrection: Ertugrul which became popular worldwide.

The event was arranged by Make-A-Wish Foundation in Pakistan's port city of Karachi. It was attended by the Turkish Consul General Tolga Ucak and prominent Pakistani actors.

The foundation grants one wish of children who are suffering from fatal diseases.

Fizza Khuda Baksh, 14, Sidra Khan, 15, and Sohail Umer,16, wanted to meet Duzyatan.

"I am very happy to meet these children and soon will visit Pakistan to meet with my Pakistani brothers and sisters," Duzyatan said while speaking with the children.

The Turkish television series based on the life and times of the 13th-century Muslim Oghuz Turk leader Ertugrul, has taken Pakistan by storm after the country's state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) aired it in April this year.

"I saw your drama on PTV which is lovely and telling us the Islamic history and how our heroes fought for Islam," Umer told the actor.

Khuda Baksh said: "I wished to speak and meet you and today my dream was fulfilled by Make-A-Wish."

Duzyatan promised the children to visit Pakistan soon.

Often described as the Turkish Game of Thrones, the serial is woven around 13th century Anatolia and tells the story prior to the establishment of the Ottoman Empire. It illustrates the struggle of Ertugrul Gazi, father of the empire's first leader.