Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s expected visit to Pakistan next month will be a “historic” one, according to a top Pakistani government minister.

Axar.az reports citing Anadolu Agency.

Erdogan’s “visit means a lot for every Pakistani, and every Pakistani is desperately waiting for that visit of President Erdogan and it will [be] a historic [one],” Pakistan’s Minister of State for the Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi told Anadolu Agency.

Afridi’s remarks came on the sidelines of the 6th Ministerial Conference of Budapest Process, an interregional forum on migration, held this week in Istanbul.

According to recent reports, Erdogan is expected to visit Pakistan in March and announce a number of investment plans.

“Turkey lives right here,” Afridi said, putting his right hand on his heart, “in the heart and the soul of every Pakistani, from right, left, or center … from any sect, from any background, every Pakistani values relations with Turkey.”

Afridi took his post last August just after Imran Khan, former cricket star, rose to the prime ministry in the wake of general elections. Earlier this year, Khan paid a two-day visit to Turkey -- a longtime ally of the South Asian nuclear state.

“Turkey has always stood like an elder brother for Pakistan and [for] this new government, which is taking to a new level where it will become an example for other countries,” Afridi said.

“Every Pakistani is now waiting for the visit of the legendary president of Turkey, an inspirational leader,” he said.

Describing meeting with the Turkish president as “my dream” Afridi said: “I found him a genuine soul … someone who has taken Turkey to a level where Turkey is now competing at the highest level. So both countries have a bright future.”