Stronger Azerbaijan is Stronger Pakistan and Stronger Pakistan is Stronger Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) to Start 6 Flights a Week from Baku to Islamabad, Lahore & Karachi Soon in addition to already existing PIA’s 4 flights on the same routes.
Bilateral Trade between Azerbaijan and Pakistan can be Enhanced similarly to the level which Azerbaijan and Turkiye achieved last year, namely $6 B
Businessmen from both sides need to Explore Markets-Pakistani Products are Welcome in Azerbaijan
Armenia Destroyed Azerbaijan’s historical and cultural Heritage and insulted Islamic values by demolishing Masjids and using them also as pig barns during Illegal Occupation of Our Lands.
Ambassador of Republic of Azerbaijan Shares his Thoughts with Pakistani Delegation of Sufi Council and Development Sector
“Armenia has territorial claims against other countries and intentionally expelled all non-Armenians just to became mono-ethnic country and as a result led itself to isolation from all the major regional cooperations with serious consequences – in contrary Azerbaijan Started, Completed the Major Transnational Transport and Energy Projects which plays crucial role in contributing to the peace, security, prosperity and development not only in the region but also beyond it.”
Report :Tazeen Akhtar
Pictures : Asif Farooq
Azerbaijan-Pakistan relations have always been exemplary and now transformed into meaningful trade and economic cooperation. Both were connected deep in the history when the trade caravans would travel centuries ago from Multan to Baku and now both countries are again reviving the bilateral trade through continued efforts from both sides and have achieved many milestones toward that destination during last years.
Direct flights of Pakistan Airlines from Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad to Baku, Increase in number of tourists and students from Pakistan, easy e-visa to Pakistani citizens, Joint works on Preferential Trade Agreement draft, Signing of LNG agreement, high level visits from Azerbaijan in July and from Pakistan in June, Exemption of Pakistani rice from import duties starting last December are a few for example.
The upward trajectory of the bilateral cooperation impressed us and also pressed us to ask the Ambassador H.E Khazar Nadir Oglu Farhadov for an exclusive discussion on the most recent developments , he was part of , for the information of our readers. He very kindly spared time from his very busy schedule and shed light on the whole gambit of mutual ties and future prospects. Leader of Sufi Council Pakistan, Pir Mudassir Nazar, Senior Business leader in oil and gas, Dr Abdul Baqi, Expert in development sector Mr. Asif Sheikh were present in the meeting held at the Embassy.
Ambassador shared the good news of direct flights from Azerbaijan to Pakistan. He said, after many other success stories in the recent past and present, now another big leap forward to enhance people to people and business to business ties are direct flights of Azerbaijan Airlines, 6 times a week, from Baku to Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi soon.
Here he also emphasized that the flights will be maintained that is another encouraging aspect in terms of the hopes of taking the bilateral trade and economic cooperation to the higher level.
“Last year more than 50 thousand Pakistanis visited Azerbaijan. This major breakthrough was thanks to the direct flights of PIA and soft visa regime by Azerbaijan. The visa can be is issued within 3 hours. This connectivity helped to almost triple the bilateral trade to $30 Million. With the start of the direct flights by Azerbaijan Airline and existing PIA’s flights, all together up to ten flights a week, the volume will further be enhanced for sure, Ambassador said.
Ambassador is optimistic about perspective increase in Azerbaijan-Pakistan Trade up to $ Billions as his country has with Turkiye. Azerbaijan-Pakistan cooperation could be same like Azerbaijan-Turkiye cooperation. Azerbaijan and Turkiye’s mutual investment is around $30 Billion in different sectors and trade volume between them was around $ 6 Billion last year. Ambassador described the trilateral format among Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Turkiye, that will be a example phenomenon in the whole world.
On bilateral level, the route like it was in the history a silk route between two brother countries is being constructed in shape of new connectivity features like bilateral exchanges of high level delegations and two side direct flights. IT and Digitalization, Energy, Ambassador mentioned as the other priority areas worked upon. This is necessary, especially for the business community to be connected and mature the deals.
Ambassador of Azerbaijan H.E Khazar Farhadov shared that Azerbaijan Airlines will also start direct flights from Baku to Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. Azerbaijan-Turkiye bilateral trade is approximately $6 Billion and Azerbaijan looks forward to a similar trade volume with Pakistan that would be very beneficial for both countries.
“Earlier the direct flights operated by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had improved bilateral trade three times between the two countries in 2022. Now the direct flights by Azerbaijan Airlines would further contribute to increase bilateral trade rapidly, Ambassador noted.
He said that Azerbaijan and Pakistan have formed Working Groups under Joint Intergovernmental Commission to increase bilateral cooperation in various sectors including agriculture, trade, banking, IT, tourism, transport, energy, health.
H.E said, “Azerbaijan’s strategic foreign exchange reserves are $65 Billion. Azerbaijan’s economy is the strongest in the whole region having the surplus exceeding $25 Billion in global trade.
Azerbaijan is torch bearer of shared development and prosperity in the region. All major developmental and regional connectivity projects have been initiated and completed under Azerbaijan’s leadership. Azerbaijan is the example of development in the region.”
Ambassador said, “Azerbaijan has enhanced the role of the The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in tackling the global challenges, initiated and succeeded the establishment of the Parliamentary and Youth networks of the Movement. With a unanimous decision of NAM countries, Azerbaijan’s chairmanship was extended for one more year. This is the expression of confidence by 120 members of NAM in Azerbaijan under leadership of President Ilham Aliyev and his vision and work for shared wellbeing and common beneficial agenda.”
” Azerbaijan for almost 30 years has encountered with the military aggression of Armenia and occupation of its territories, mass atrocities committed against Azerbaijanis without distinction as to the elderly, women, and children, when one million Azerbaijanis turned into internally displaced persons and refugees.
Despite the fact that within the four UN Security Council Resolutions of 1993 Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity were recognized, the elimination of the occupation and the immediate withdrawal of the occupying forces from the territories of Azerbaijan were demanded, Armenia has consistently ignored all the calls, and on the contrary, further strengthened the status quo based on the occupation, intentionally destructed the historical and cultural heritage of Azerbaijani population in the occupied territories, and conducted illegal settlement policy.
In the 44-day Patriotic War of 2020, under the leadership of the President, the victorious Commander-in-Chief Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the people of Azerbaijan won a historic victory and put an end to the occupation of our lands. Despite the 30-years occupation and hardships, shortly after the Patriotic War, the Azerbaijani side proposed basic principles and a peace treaty for the normalization of relations between the two countries on the basis of mutual recognition and respect for each other’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and borders.
As a result intensive laying of landmines in the territories of Azerbaijan by Armenia, the transfer to and planting of landmines produced in 2021 in Azerbaijan, in violation of the provision of the statement of 10 November 2020 on cessation of all military activities, as well as other international commitments of Armenia, and ignorant attitude by the international community to Armenia’s deliberate threat of landmines, 303 Azerbaijanis, including two journalists, have become landmine victims since November 2020.
Azerbaijan has installed the Lachin border checkpoint in its sovereign territories, in order to establish control over its own borders, and to prevent the illegal acts of Armenia.”
“Armenia is trying its utmost to present itself as a victim but it is nothing more than a hoodwink. Actually, Armenia is the culprit of violations of international norms and laws. Armenia destroyed the Azerbaijani and Muslim heritage in illegally occupied territories during the occupation lasted almost 30 years. Visiting the liberated territories everyone can see what serious crimes against humanity Armenia conducted. Armenians did not spare the Masjids and graves even. They destroyed 65 Masjids out of 67 and kept pigs in the Masjids. They destructed the graves of Azerbaijani people as well.”
Ambassador discussed the unique relations between Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Turkiye and Central Asia. He spoke high about the multilateral bonds among these countries as exemplary in the whole world. He said we attach special importance to our relations with Pakistan, Turkiye and Central Asia. Turkiye and Azerbaijan are brotherly countries. The region of brotherhood including also Central Asia and Pakistan has great significance.
He said, “The people of these countries and the region remained in contact in the history. The historical statehood of these regions had cordial relations and cooperation with one another. The people had resemblances in the past as they have in present. Our traditions, lifestyles, culture, customs are same. It means these countries have great potential to develop their relations in all spheres including political, trade, defense sectors.”
We can promote multilateral cooperation. Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Turkiye have started the trilateral format at foreign ministers’ level in 2017 and later uplifted it to the level of speakers of parliaments in 2019. This format can include other sectors as well. We are the countries having deeply brotherly unique relations together with Central Asian countries.
Mr. Farhadov said, ” I think that stronger Azerbaijan is stronger Pakistan and stronger Pakistan is stronger Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani, Turkish and Pakistani flags have been hoisting side by side after second Karabakh War in our country by even ordinary citizens. Pakistan Qardash (Brother) is a common address to all Pakistani in Azerbaijan. We are building the cooperation in all fields including in economic sector with the same spirit.”
Ambassador shared, Pakistan is our strategic partner in all spectrum of relations including trade and economic relations. Under instruction of President the government of Azerbaijan exempted Pakistani rice from the import duty. We welcome Pakistani products. Both countries are willing to sign Preferential Trade Agreement soon.
“Pakistan is about to harvest the rice crop. We can import rice up to $ tens of Millions. This will increase the volume of trade. Pakistan and Azerbaijan are both new markets for our respective traders. Pakistani exporters need to explore each other countries’ market and build contacts with the importers. Businessmen on both sides should talk to each other, offer incentives to each other, Ambassador noted.
H.E Farhadov also mentioned the recent LNG agreement between SOCAR and Pakistan LNG corporation. The LNG will be supplied on beneficent conditions. This agreement will also help boost the bilateral trade.
Ambassador shared the details of the latest developments between two countries. The guests appreciated his efforts to solidify the bilateral relations in all sectors. They also paid rich tributes to the Heydar Aliyev, the national leader of Azerbaijani people. They expressed gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for his great contributions in strengthening brotherly and strategic relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan, including the support extending to all stakeholders in all sphere of economic cooperation.
The guests expressed their deep condolences for the victims of Armenian landmines and commemorated with deep respect the martyrs of 44-Day Patriotic War. Both sides agreed to continue the interactions to share the ideas and incentives for both sides in the future as well.
Azerbaijan – Pakistan Connectivity & Energy Cooperation – Tazeen Akhtar Islamabad
