During his two-day visit to Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister lauded the role of the US, Türkiye, Qatar, and Azerbaijan in promoting peace and regional cooperation
BAKU; Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday once again thanked the “bold and decisive leadership” of US President Donald Trump for helping broker a ceasefire between Pakistan and India during their May conflict.
While addressing Azerbaijan’s Victory Day parade in Baku, the Prime Minister praised President Trump’s “exemplary leadership” that paved the way for peace between the two nuclear neighbours. “It was President Trump’s bold and decisive leadership that brought about the ceasefire between Pakistan and India, restoring peace in South Asia, averting a major war, and saving millions of people,” he said.
Highlighting Pakistan’s commitment to peace, Shehbaz Sharif said that the country, like its Azerbaijani and Turkish brothers, seeks harmony but will never allow its sovereignty or territorial integrity to be undermined.
The premier recalled that Azerbaijani and Turkish military contingents had proudly marched alongside Pakistan’s armed forces during the Independence Day celebrations on August 14 this year, when the country marked “Marka-i-Haq” — commemorating its “historic victory” in the four-day conflict with India. The Pakistan Army had named the period of hostilities, from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the May 10 conclusion of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, as “Marka-i-Haq.”
Paying tribute to Azerbaijan’s courage, PM Shehbaz said that five years ago, under the bold and visionary leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the brave sons of Azerbaijan rose to reclaim their ancestral lands of Karabakh. “The world watched in admiration as Azerbaijan’s armed forces liberated their motherland,” he said, adding that “Pakistan stood like a rock beside its brotherly country throughout this struggle.”
He termed Azerbaijan’s triumph a “glorious vindication of a just cause” and a source of inspiration for all oppressed nations seeking sovereignty and self-determination, including the people of Gaza and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The Prime Minister arrived in Baku on Friday for a two-day official visit at the invitation of President Ilham Aliyev to attend the Victory Day ceremony. Referring to the recent tensions with Afghanistan, Shehbaz Sharif said that the collective resolve for peace had once again been tested. He expressed deep appreciation for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, for their invaluable role in supporting dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan. “This is a true reflection of our strong, time-tested fraternal bonds that endure through every trial,” he added.
Victory Day is celebrated annually on November 8 in Azerbaijan to commemorate the 44-day-long Karabakh Liberation War against Armenia.
PM Meets President Erdoğan in Baku
During his visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The two leaders reviewed all aspects of the Pakistan-Türkiye relationship and reaffirmed their shared commitment to enhance cooperation in areas including defence, trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges.
According to state-run PTV, the two leaders also agreed that a Turkish ministerial delegation would soon visit Pakistan to advance joint projects. They further emphasized the importance of close coordination on regional and international issues of mutual concern and expressed a shared desire to promote peace and prosperity across the Muslim world.
The Prime Minister, accompanied by Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, extended warm felicitations to President Erdoğan and the people of Türkiye on the occasion of the country’s Republic Day.
Pakistan-Azerbaijan Defence Ties Strengthen
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced that Pakistani troops and JF-17 Thunder fighter jets participated in Azerbaijan’s Victory Day parade. “Long live Pakistan-Azerbaijan friendship. Pakistani troops and JF-17 Thunder fighter jets are proudly participating in Azerbaijan’s Victory Parade today, marking the liberation of Karabakh,” he stated on social media.
A day earlier, PM Shehbaz and President Aliyev reaffirmed their determination to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, energy, connectivity, and defence. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, “The two leaders reviewed the entire range of bilateral relations and agreed to further strengthen their multi-dimensional partnership.”
PM Shehbaz also invited President Aliyev to visit Pakistan at his earliest convenience, an invitation that the Azerbaijani leader accepted. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Prime Minister said he was looking forward to the “grand parade,” adding that his meeting with President Aliyev reaffirmed the “deep-rooted and fraternal ties” between the two nations.
Last month, a Pakistan Air Force contingent, including JF-17 Thunder Block-III fighter jets and technical crew, participated in a bilateral air exercise in Azerbaijan titled Indus Shield Alpha. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the exercise was aimed at improving tactical coordination, mutual understanding, and interoperability between the air forces of both countries.
