Having identical border security issues and huge potential to boost bilateral trade, Pakistan and Azerbaijan have embarked on a route to take their already multi-faceted ties to new heights, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan Dr Saeed Khan Mohmand remarked.
While responding questions in Current Affairs Show ‘The Region’ at state-run television PTV News, the ambassador said that in last two to three years, Pakistan and Azerbaijan military relationship has witnessed a significant rise.
The ambassador said that the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) of Pakistan Army General Zubair Mehmood Hayat have visited Azerbaijan twice this year while in September last year, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Chief Marshal Sohail Aman also undertook a visit to Baku and met Azerbaijan’s government and military officials.
Dr Saeed Khan Mohmand said that similarly, Azerbaijan’s top military leadership has also toured Pakistan. He said that Azerbaijan’s defence delegations regularly participate in International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS), the biggest defence exhibition of international stature held biennially in Pakistan.
Earlier this month, the Chief of State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan Colonel General Elchin Guliyev visited Pakistan army’s general headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, and held a meeting with Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
When asked how Azerbaijan’s military circles view this development, the ambassador said that General Elchin Guliyev’s meeting with Pakistan Army Chief was of great significance.
The ambassador said that like Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India, Nagorno-Karabakh border issue has also been a bone of contention between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He said that Elchin Guliyev’s visit to Pakistan was aimed at to benefit from Pakistan army’s expertise on border issues and exchange views for mutual assistance.
Dr Saeed Khan Mohmand hopes Pakistan-Azerbaijan trade to rise in future
Commenting on Pak-Azerbaijan trade relations, the ambassador said that though there exists a huge potential and goodwill as well to grow bilateral trade but things haven’t been at par. He said that when he assumed the Office two years ago, Pakistan-Azerbaijan bilateral trade stood at $8 billion.
However, he added that now things have started reshaping as last year Pakistan’s Secretary Commerce visited Baku and signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). He said that last year, Azerbaijan’s delegations visited Pakistan and met Islamabad and Lahore Chambers of Commerce.
In addition to that, a 15-member delegation also participated in Expo Pakistan 2017 held in Karachi, he further said.
In July 2018, Rawalpindi & Islamabad Chambers of Commerce & Industry organized a “Road Show” in Baku with objectives to promote Pakistani products in Azerbaijan’s markets.
Saeed Khan Mohmand apprised with cheers that it was a successful festival as Azerbaijan’s people took keen interest in Pakistani products. He hoped that the event would help Pakistan a long way to find new markets in Eurasian Countries for its products.
