ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in Baku to attend the Fifth Anniversary of Azerbaijan’s Victory Day celebrations, which begin on Friday.
The two-day official visit comes at the invitation of President Ilham Aliyev and underscores Pakistan’s commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation and regional partnership with the South Caucasus nation.
According to the Foreign Office, during the visit, Prime Minister Sharif will attend the official Victory Day ceremonies and hold bilateral talks with President Aliyev. The two leaders are expected to review the full spectrum of Pakistan-Azerbaijan relations and explore new avenues for cooperation in areas including trade and investment, energy, defence, education, and regional connectivity.
Pakistan and Azerbaijan share deep-rooted fraternal ties grounded in common faith, history, culture, and mutual trust. The two nations also cooperate closely in various regional and international organizations such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), and the United Nations (UN).
The Prime Minister’s visit is aimed at reaffirming Pakistan’s unwavering support for Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while further strengthening the strategic partnership between the two brotherly nations.
Pakistan and Azerbaijan enjoy close and brotherly relations founded on shared faith, cultural affinity, historical ties, and mutual respect. Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan’s independence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, and diplomatic relations were formally established in 1992.
Since then, the two countries have maintained strong political, economic, and defence cooperation. Pakistan has consistently supported Azerbaijan’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and its sovereignty and territorial integrity. In return, Azerbaijan has expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s principled stance and has supported Pakistan’s position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in international forums.
Bilateral cooperation extends across multiple sectors, including trade and investment, energy, defence production, education, information technology, and culture. Several high-level exchanges have taken place in recent years, strengthening the strategic partnership. Both nations also coordinate closely within multilateral platforms such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), and the United Nations (UN).
Economic ties are gradually expanding, with discussions ongoing to enhance connectivity, simplify visa regimes, and promote direct air links and business-to-business interactions. Humanitarian and people-to-people exchanges further reinforce the friendly ties between Islamabad and Baku.
