BILATERAL RELATIONS
Azerbaijan - Pakistan relations
Brief historical information on diplomatic relations:
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan was one of the first countries that recognized the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan on December 12, 1991. The diplomatic relations between two countries were established on June 9, 1992. The Embassy of Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Azerbaijan was opened on March 12, 1993. Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Pakistan was opened on August 24, 1997. The Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is Ali Alizada.
High level visits and meetings:
Head of States:
October 9-11, 1995 - The President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Sardar Faruq Legari paid an official visit to Azerbaijan.
April 9-11, 1996 - The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev paid an official visit to Pakistan.
July 8-10, 2004 - The President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf paid an official visit to Azerbaijan.
April 12-13, 2005 - The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev paid an official visit to Pakistan.
October 13-16, 2012 – The President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari paid a working visit to Azerbaijan (The 12th Summit meeting of Organization of Economic Cooperation).
March 11-14, 2015 - The President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain an official visit to Azerbaijan.
February 28-March 1, 2017 - The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev paid a working visit to Pakistan (The 13th Summit meeting of Organization of Economic Cooperation).
Head of Governments:
May 5-7, 2006 - The Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Shaukat Aziz paid a working visit to Azerbaijan (The 9th Summit meeting of the Organization of Economic Cooperation).
October 13-15, 2016- The Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif paid an official visit to Azerbaijan
Ministers of Foreign Affairs:
January 24, 1994 - The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Sardar Asef Ahmad paid an official visit to Azerbaijan.
March 14-15, 1995 - The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Hasan Hasanov paid an official visit to Pakistan (The 3rd Summit meeting of the Organization of Islamic Conference).
May 8-21, 1999 - The State Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Mohammad Siddiq Khan Kanju paid a working visit to Azerbaijan (The 9th Ministerial Board Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Economic Cooperation).
May 3, 2006 - The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri paid a working visit to Azerbaijan (Summit meeting of the Organization of Economic Cooperation).
June 19-21, 2006 - The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri paid a working visit to Azerbaijan (The 33rd session of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Conference).
May 15-17, 2007 - The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov paid a working visit to Pakistan (The 34th session of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Conference).
June 15, 2010 - The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov paid a working visit to Pakistan.
October 13-16, 2012 – The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Hina Rabbani Khar paid a working visit to Azerbaijan (The 12th Summit meeting of the Organization of Economic Cooperation).
February 28-March 1, 2017 – The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov paid a working visit to Pakistan (The 13th Summit meeting of the Organization of Economic Cooperation).
November 30-December 1, 2017 - The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Muhammad Khawaja Asif paid a working visit to Azerbaijan (The 1st Trilateral Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Turkey and Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process 7th Ministerial Conference).
Inter-parliamentary relations:
June 18-20, 2008 - The Chairman of the Senate of Islamic Republic of Pakistan Muhammad Mian Soomro paid a visit to Azerbaijan (Ceremony dedicated to the 90th Anniversary of the Parliament of Azerbaijan).
February 11-12, 2013 – The Chairman of the Milli Mejlis of Azerbaijan Republic Ogtay Asadov paid a working visit to Pakistan (The 1st Meeting of the Inter-parliamentary Assembly of the Organization of Economic Cooperation).
September 19-21, 2018 – Chairman Senate of Pakistan Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani paid a working visit to Pakistan (Ceremony dedicated to the 90th Anniversary of the Parliament of Azerbaijan)
The head of Azerbaijan-Pakistan inter-parliamentary working group is Zahid Oruj. The convener of Pakistan-Azerbaijan Friendship Group in the Senate of Pakistan is Muhammad Talha Mahmood.
Economic Cooperation
October 9, 1995 – “The protocol between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on the establishment of Azerbaijan-Pakistan Joint Commission in Ministerial Level” was signed and 1st Session of the Commission was held in 2000 in Baku.
April 26-27, 2016 – 6th Session of Azerbaijan-Pakistan Joint Intergovernmental Commission was held in Islamabad. Azerbaijani officials from the ministries of defense industry, communications and high technology, foreign affairs, economy, culture and tourism, agriculture, education, as well as representatives of the SOCAR and the Central Bank and their Pakistani counterparts discussed the matters related to the specific areas of bilateral ties. Co-chairs of the Commission, Yavar Jamalov, Minister of Defence Production of Azerbaijan and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources of Pakistan signed the protocol at the end of the Session.
February 8-11, 2017, export mission from Azerbaijan, consisting of the representatives of 16 companies headed by vice-president of the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) Yusif Abdullayev and the Foundation's officials, paid a working visit to Pakistan.
July 28, 2017, the 1st session of the Joint Working Group on Trade Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Pakistan was held in Baku. The meeting co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Sahil Babayev and Secretary Commerce of Pakistan Muhammad Yunus Dagha focused on the development of trade relations between the two countries, as well as the mutually increase of export. "The Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Export and Investment Promotion Foundation of Azerbaijan (AZPROMO) and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) was signed at the end of the meeting.
December 7-8, 2017, the 1st session of the Azerbaijan-Pakistan Joint Working Group on Agriculture was held. Minister of Agriculture of Azerbaijan Heydar Asadov and Minister of National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan held a joint meeting on cooperation in agricultural research and experience sharing, promoting and facilitating bilateral trade in agriculture products, germ distribution, embryo exchange and exchange of buffalo seeds, laboratory diagnostics of specific animal diseases and risk management practices in livestock products, study of imports of high-yielding breeds from Pakistan to Azerbaijan, exchange of experience on phytosanitary risk management, implementation of experience exchange on the application of advanced irrigation techniques and technologies, agrarian research, and linkage between agrarian universities. At the end, parties signed the protocol of the Joint Working Group.
July 4, 2018, Azerbaijan-Pakistan Business Conference was organized by the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) with the support of the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan. About 250 business executives working in industry, agriculture, pharmacy, construction, insurance, tourism, logistics and other spheres attended the event. Within the framework of the conference, AZPROMO and Pakistan's Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the development of economic, trade and investment relations, exchange of experience in promoting export and foreign investment.
October 11, 2018, the 2nd meeting of the Joint Working Group on Trade Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Pakistan was held in Islamabad. At the meeting co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Rufat Mammadov and Secretary Commerce of Pakistan Muhammad Yunus Dagha, different aspects of bilateral trade were discussed. At the end of the meeting, parties signed the protocol of the Joint Working Group.
Since January 2017, Pakistan has been included in the list of countries which were granted simplified visa procedures - online visa system. Consequently, the number of Pakistani visitors to Azerbaijan has increased significantly.
Humanitarian cooperation:
Cultural and humanitarian events:
In 2008 secondary school for girls affected by the earthquake was built by Heydar Aliyev Foundation and in 2012 an overhaul were conducted.
In 2010, Government of Azerbaijan donated USD 1 million and in 2011, USD 2 million to help lift consequences of flood disaster in Pakistan.
February 02, 2012 – Foreign Relations Committee of Senate of Pakistan adopted resolution on recognition of Khojaly genocide.
October 2013 - The Senate of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan adopted resolution on recognition of the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan and condemning the Armenian occupation.
2012-2018. Heydar Aliyev Foundation donated one fully equipped ambulance and 2000 blood bags to Hamza Foundation, issued funds for building of new block and the waiting rooms in Khayber Eye Foundation, constructed water supply scheme in Dera Ismail Khan district, arranged free treatment at Institute of Cerebral Palsy and the Mother and Child hospital of Peshawar. Open heart surgeries at Kulsum International hospital and Hepatitis B vaccination in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were realized. The foundation pays stipends to 41 deserving students of 12 Pakistani universities and the Rara Girls School. The inauguration of the "20 January Martyrs Fountain" in Gujarkhan, Punjab province was carried out, and 500 packages of blood was granted to the Thalassemia Center of Pakistan's Sweet Home (Bait-ul-Mal) organization.
Moreover, during 2012-2018, on the support and initiative of the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, First Lady of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva, during the Eid-ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha, numerous iftar dinners and humanitarian events were organized for the disabled, different kinds of presents given to orphans and the elderly and hundreds of animals sacrificed for the poorest segments of the society in Islamabad and various provinces of Pakistan.
April 08, 2015 – Aids to the people affected by the flood disasters in Pakistan during the October month of 2014 were carried out by the Azerbaijan International Development Agency (AİDA). Ration bags containing food items were distributed among flood and torrential rain victims of the rural areas of the various cities.
October 20, 2015 – An event with support of Azerbaijan International Development Agency (AİDA) was held in Al-Farabi Center for Physically Handicapped Children, 120 wheelchairs, as well as special equipments which is necessary for the rehabilitation of disabled persons were presented by AIDA to Al-Farabi center.
February 24, 2016, at the National Defense University in Islamabad, the presentation of the book "Khojaly Genocide: From the Witnesses" by the deputy of Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan Ganira Pashayeva and professor Havva Mammadova, translated into Urdu, was made at the event marking the 24th anniversary of the Khojaly Genocide.
February 2, 2017, Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly of Pakistan unanimously adopted the resolution on the Khojaly genocide, condemning genocide committed by Armenia against civilians in Khojaly, once again reaffirming Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
March 16-17, 2017, Pakistan's former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz attended the V Global Baku Forum on the theme of "Future of International Relations: Powers and Interests."
May 5-6, 2017, Parliamentary delegation led by Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Murtaza Javed Abbasi participated in the IV World Intercultural Dialogue Forum.
November 7-8, 2017, Dr. Basira Azizaliyeva, Associate Professor, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences participated in the "Allama Iqbal Conference" in Islamabad.
December 21, 2017, Deputy Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri visited Azerbaijan to attend an international conference on "2017 - Islamic Solidarity: Religions and Intercultural Dialogue". During the visit, he met with First Deputy Chairman of the Milli Mejlis of Azerbaijan Ziyafat Asgarov.
March 9-11, 2018, Honoured artist Mubariz Asgarov, Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall soloist Fakhri Kazim-Nijat, Azerbaijan State Television’s soloist Nigar Shabanova performed at the cultural-musical events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in Islamabad and Lahore.
March 15-17, 2018, Pakistan's former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz attended VI Global Baku Forum.
May 2-4, 2018, A group consisting of senior bureaucrats attending the courses on national government at National Management College, Lahore visited Azerbaijan to have comprehensive knowledge about the governance model, implementation mechanism, planning process in socio-economic development and the role of public and private sectors in the development of Azerbaijan. During the visit, the bureaucrats had meetings in a number of state bodies of Azerbaijan; moreover, they were given a briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.
May 14, 2018, Honored artists - Sahib Pashazade, Ilham Nazarov, Nigar Shahmuradova, soloist of the Gaya State Ensemble Shola Safaraliyeva and soloist of Azerbaijan State Television Nigar Shabanova performed at the official reception in Islamabad, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.
June 21, 2018, Azerbaijani artists - Parviz Abdullayev, Mehpara Jafarova and Ruslan Jabbarov performed at the official reception in Islamabad, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan.
October 2-4, 2018, Azerbaijan Tourism Association (AZTA), 18 travel agencies and hotel representatives, 30-member delegation in total, attended the Pakistan Travel Mart exhibition in Karachi.
October 25-26, 2018, Adviser to Chairman PTI party (Prime Minister), senator Shahzad Waseem, Secretary General of the Pakistan People's Party Faisal Kundi, member of the editorial staff of The Caspian Times Muhammad Said, Director of the Political Studies Council Chaudhry Naman Zafar, political analyst and commentator Malik Sumbal attended VI International Humanitarian Forum in Baku.
November 20-22, 2018, the delegation of the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SAM) consisting of Javid Valiyev - Head of Foreign Policy Analysis Department, Fuad Chiragov - research fellow of the department and Mahir Humbatov - senior research fellow of Economic Analysis Department performed at the seminar jointly organized by the Islamabad Policy research Institute (IPRI) and SAM in Islamabad. They also held meetings at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, Institute for Strategic Studies, Research and Analysis (ISSRA) at the Pakistani National Defense University, as well as the Center for Global and Strategic Studies.
Contractual-legal basis:
34 documents were signed between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 17 is under consideration.
