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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev on Friday agreed to further strengthen cooperation in defense, energy, trade and politics, said an official statement released in Islamabad.

The development took place during a meeting between the two leaders in Baku, which was also attended by Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir.

Sharif and Munir are currently visiting the Central Asian state to attend the 50th Victory Day celebrations marking the end of Azerbaijan’s 44-day war with Armenia over Karabakh.

Pakistan and Azerbaijan have expanded cooperation this year through high-level visits and multiple agreements while reaffirming mutual support on regional and international issues.

“Both leaders reviewed bilateral relations and agreed to further strengthen their multifaceted cooperation in the areas of politics, trade and investment, energy, connectivity and defense,” the PM Office said in a statement.

During the meeting, Sharif thanked Aliyev for the invitation to the celebrations and congratulated the government and people of Azerbaijan.

He said Azerbaijan’s victory served as a “beacon of hope” for the people of Kashmir and Palestine.

Aliyev accepted Sharif’s invitation to visit Islamabad again and thanked Pakistan for its support in Azerbaijan’s struggle in the Karabakh region. He also praised Pakistan’s role in promoting regional stability in South Asia.

This marks Sharif’s fourth visit to Azerbaijan this year. 

In July, he met President Aliyev in Khankendi on the sidelines of the 17th ECO Summit, while in May he traveled to Baku as part of a broader economic diplomacy drive with Central Asian republics, offering them access to Pakistan’s southern ports in Karachi and Gwadar.

In addition to their long-standing fraternal ties, Pakistan and Azerbaijan maintain close cooperation in regional and international forums including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Economic Cooperation Organization and the United Nations.

In July 2024, Azerbaijan announced a $2 billion investment in Pakistan during President Aliyev’s visit to Islamabad.

Earlier, in September 2023, Pakistan signed a contract to supply JF-17 Block III fighter jets to Azerbaijan, marking a significant step in strengthening defense cooperation.