ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday emphasized working together with Azerbaijan to enhance trade and investment, energy cooperation, defence, education and cultural exchanges, connectivity, and people-to-people contacts.
The prime minister said that he intended to send a high level ministerial delegation to Baku to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two nations.
He said that Islamabad was prepared to convene the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Joint Commission meeting at an early date where both sides could discuss issues related to cooperation in different fields.
The prime minister was talking to Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Pakistan Khazar Farhadov who called on him.
The envoy briefed the prime minister on the current state of bilateral ties, underlining the recent inauguration of flights between Baku and Karachi, in addition to the flights already operating between Baku and Islamabad as well as Baku and Lahore.
He said that the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan was also likely to visit Pakistan later this month.
The ambassador briefed the prime minister on various institutional mechanisms and their upcoming meetings later this year.
While admiring the beauty of the city of Baku, PM Shehbaz said that he wanted to replicate the beautification of Baku in Islamabad and suggested that both cities could explore increased cooperation through sister-city agreement among them.
Pakistan Attaches Great Importance to Azerbaijan
He said that Pakistan attached great significance to Azerbaijan as the two countries enjoyed excellent brotherly relations.
He conveyed his greetings for President Ilham Aliyev and fondly recalled their telephonic conversation on Eidul Fitr.
The prime minister also recalled his interactions with the leadership of Azerbaijan during his visit to Baku in June 2023 and reiterated his invitation to President Aliyev to undertake an official trip to Pakistan at his earliest convenience.
PM Shehbaz congratulated Azerbaijan on being selected as the host city for the COP 29 Summit meeting that would be held in November 2024 and said he looked forward to receiving the Minister of Ecology of Azerbaijan next week, who would be carrying the formal invitation letter of the Azeri President for the COP 29 meeting.
He said that Islamabad wanted to enhance its fraternal ties with Azerbaijan and also looked forward to the visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Islamabad soon.
