Azerbaijan will celebrate May 28 as Independence Day for the second time. Pakistan is among the first countries to recognize the independence of Azerbaijan.
Today EDnews decided to do an interview with a Pakistani political expert. The interviewee, Dr. Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan, Executive Director of the Center for South Asia & International Studies (CSAIS) Islamabad, a regional expert on Azerbaijan & South Caucasus talked about Pakistan-Azerbaijan relations and future plans.
- Mr. Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan, what are some significant areas of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Pakistan? Please let me know about the development of diplomatic relations.
- First, I would like to congratulate the people of Azerbaijan on their National Day celebrations. Well, there is great potential to cooperate in the energy and Infrastructure sectors, agriculture and food processing, textile and garments, information technology, health, tourism, education, civil aviation, education, media, and arts sectors. Moreover, the cooperation in the diversification of energy renewables, blue/green hydrogen, lithium battery, science & technology, and last but not least, pharmaceutical sectors.
In this regard, energy cooperation in recent years, particularly in liquefied natural gas (LNG) has been on the rise. Azerbaijan has been investing heavily in its LNG infrastructure and has the potential to become a major LNG exporter in the region. So, bilateral energy cooperation would be mutually beneficial for both countries.
Overall, the relationship between Pakistan and Azerbaijan can be characterized as brotherly and cooperative, with both countries expressing a desire to deepen their ties in various fields.
Moreover, historical ties, religious interfaith harmony, cultural reinvention, re-connection, and Pakistan and Azerbaijan connectivity started many centuries ago in the shape of Multani Caravanserai to Hajji Zeynalabdin and from Bibi-Heybat to Bibi Pak Daman. From late Heydar Aliyev to Ilham Aliyev and from Benazir Bhutto to incumbent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif caravans of true friendship, brotherhood, mutual respect, love, and harmony have been achieving new heights since its beginning.
Pakistan-Azerbaijan relations have had a significant strategic relationship. Diplomatic relations were established on 9th June 1992, with the Pakistan Embassy being opened on 12th March 1993 in Baku, and Azerbaijan establishing its Mission in Islamabad on 24th August 1997.
In this connection, Multani Caravanserai and the Baku Ateshgah are prime examples of the testified and tangible historic linkages shared by both nations. Azerbaijan-Pakistan relations trace their shared primordial roots. Azerbaijan and Pakistan, share an enduring diplomatic relationship.
Baku State University has a well-established Urdu branch, teaching Azeri students the national language of Pakistan.
Moreover, the two countries also share similar positions on several regional and international issues such as the Kashmir dispute and the Karabakh conflict. Both countries have expressed support for each other’s stance on these issues. Furthermore, Pakistan and Azerbaijan share a close historical and cultural bond and have maintained close economic ties.
Azerbaijan’s principled stance on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is commendable. Pakistan’s resolve to further strengthen and diversify its cooperation with Azerbaijan, particularly in the economic, trade, and cultural domains is the right policy in the right direction.
The two countries have a long history of bilateral trade and Azerbaijan is keen to expand its commercial ties with Pakistan.
Interestingly, the contemporary level of mutual cooperative bilateral relations offers a win-win proposition for both the countries. For Pakistan, the strategic partnership with Azerbaijan provides an active engagement on the regional level and for Azerbaijan; Pakistan constitutes an essential diplomatic partner, particularly a significant military ally and reliable trade partner too.
Moreover, direct flights between Azerbaijan and Pakistan operated by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has improved bilateral trade three times between the two countries in 2022 and hopefully Azerbaijan Airlines will also start direct flights with Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad very soon and is also considering to start direct flights to industrial and export centres of Pakistan, which would further contribute to increase bilateral trade between the two brotherly countries.
Azerbaijan under the instructions of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has given exemption from customs duty on import of rice from Pakistan, and the Pakistani business community should take benefit of this facility.
Azerbaijan and Pakistan have formed various Working Groups under Joint Ministerial Commission to increase bilateral cooperation in various sectors including agriculture, trade, banking, IT, tourism, transport, energy, health and respective chambers of commerce should cooperate in identifying companies for these workings groups so that private sectors could lead the promotion of bilateral cooperation in these sectors between the two countries.
In this regard, creating better awareness in the private sectors of both countries about each other’s markets would be mutually beneficial to increase business ties.
Critical analysis of the bilateral trade ties reveals that both countries are doing trade in limited items and there is a need of finding new product lines and avenues of cooperation for enhancing trade volume between the two countries. It is suggested that both countries should encourage regular exchange of trade delegations to explore all untapped areas of mutual cooperation. Made in Azerbaijan” in Pakistan and “Made in Pakistan” in Azerbaijan expos would be first step in right direction to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
The Pakistan-Azerbaijan trade would get a boost from current $30 million after both the countries signed Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) which is currently under discussion.
Obviously, Azerbaijan is the only country in Central Asia and South Caucasus having direct flight to Pakistan. Besides, the Pakistani nationals have also the facility of hassle-free online visa to Azerbaijan.
It is good omen that Azerbaijan and Pakistan have plans to develop agriculture in the liberated territories, and the two countries are proposed to establish joint ventures
Companies of the two countries also have plans to open a rice mill in Ganja. Discussions are underway with Azerbaijan to open a joint venture.
According to the State Customs Committee, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Pakistan in January-February this year amounted to $3.4 million, 70% more than in the same period last year. At present, there are over 2,000 Pakistani companies in Azerbaijan.
The Pakistani government also dispatched humanitarian aid to Azerbaijan. The assistance was intended for service members and other people working in the liberated territories. On its part the government of Azerbaijan dispatched humanitarian assistance during the terrible floods in the country during 2022.
It seems that bilateral relations are based on mutual respect having holistic connections of brotherhood, cultural linkages, socio- fraternity which should be further transformed into sustainable economic, business and trade ties.
- Azerbaijan and Pakistan have developed a close defense relationship. They have engaged in military training programs, joint exercises, and defense equipment purchases. Has Pakistan provided military assistance to Azerbaijan, especially during the Karabakh conflict, or has it had any training in this field?
- It seems that the famous Patriotic War of 44 days has further strengthened bilateral military cooperation between the two brotherly countries which is indeed a good omen for the protection of national pride, human dignity, national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The increasing bilateral military cooperation has already further enhanced strategic deterrence, military preparedness and tactical professionalism.
During the Karabakh conflict from top to bottom in the government of Pakistan and armed forces of Pakistan they all fully supported the just cause of Azerbaijan. Even political representatives of Pakistan’s National Assembly and Senate strongly condemned Armenian military misadventure and extended their political, moral, diplomatic, media and human support which was indeed show of true spirits of brotherhood, human solidarity and last but not least, diplomatic ties between both the country.
The Armed Forces of Pakistan has been supporting Azerbaijan in term of joint military drills, training, Special Forces special training, joint production, knowledge sharing and study facilitation to armed forces of Azerbaijan. The armed forces of Pakistan support was there to guide the forces of Azerbaijan to surpass difficult mountainous terrains and conquered the impassable territories during the Karabakh war.
For the further strengthening of bilateral defense ties relations with Pakistan and exploring mutual prospects of mutual manufacturing of military products a Azerbaijan delegation led by First Deputy Minister of Defense Chief of the General Staff of the Azerbaijan Army, Colonel General Karim Valiyev most recently personally visited the headquarters of the Global Industrial and Defence Solutions (GIDS) organization of Pakistan. The delegation showed keen interest in military manufacturing and various military products.
The delegation also interested in manufactured products in air defense and integrated systems, as well as in nuclear, biological (bacteriological) and chemical defense.
- Did the Karabakh conflict affect the broader relationship between Azerbaijan and Pakistan?
- Frankly speaking the Karabakh conflict has further strengthened the scope, composition, utility, diversification, dynamics and determination of bilateral diplomatic relations between two countries. During and after the Patriotic War of 44 days the military cooperation has been getting momentum. The agriculture ties have been on the rise by each passing day. The cooperation in diverse sectors of economy especially in term of IT, ICT, Artificial intelligence, unmanned vehicles(drones), fighter jet (JF-Thunder 17 bloc-III) radar, electronic war gadgetry, night vision equipment, joint military and air force training, civil aviation, banking & finance, infrastructure development, mining development, construction works and last but not least, at regional level securing regional peace, stability and harmony in Afghanistan, meaningful participation in the SCO, CPEC and of course BRI have been further strengthened between two brotherly countries and strategic partners having trilateral strategic dialogue with Türkiye.
- Does Pakistan have any role in the reconstruction works in Karabakh?
- The Director General Frontier Works Organization (FWO) of Pakistan while visiting Baku right after the Karabak assured full support of his organization in resettlement and reconstruction activities in the newly liberated areas.
FWO specializes in civil and military infrastructure, communications projects and mining in Pakistan. Since its establishment in 1966, it has been credited with the construction of bridges, roads, tunnels, airfields and dams in Pakistan. Its objectives include projects related to civil, construction, combat, structural, and military engineering. The FWO led the design and construction of the Karakoram Highway. It also pledged to assist in mining development.
Moreover, Pakistan’s companies can also play an important role in construction in Karabakh and some companies are now active in these regions. Some companies are already negotiating with various Azerbaijan institutions in this regard.
Pakistani IT companies have been invited to operate and invest in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan. In the near past, the Azerbaijan-Pakistan Technology Forum was held in Baku. Representatives representing 35 companies from Pakistan participated in the said meeting. Representatives from the fields of artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud technology, and a number of areas of the ICT sector participated in the forum.
- What steps are being taken to further strengthen the relationship between Azerbaijan and Pakistan in the future?
- Azerbaijan Ambassador to Pakistan H.E. Khazar Farhadov is a guru of economic diplomacy, formation of national soft image and narrative, business repo, marketing strategist of showcasing real economic, and trade potential of Azerbaijan among the business communities, chambers of commerce and investors in Pakistan.
He has been initiating numerous interactive events showcasing the existing business and investment opportunities in Azerbaijan among stakeholders of Pakistan.
Economic road map and policies of Ilham Aliyev has been the driving force behind the Pakistan-Azerbaijan socio-economic integration, immense regional connectivity, trade and commerce activities. Serious negotiations are going on to sign preferential trade agreement leading towards free trade agreement in the near future. Moreover, facilitation of VISA, further development in civil aviation would further strengthen bilateral trade and commerce activities between two countries in the days to come.
Ulviyya Shahin
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