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 Khazar Farhadov.
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).
October 25-26, 2019 – The President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Arif Alvi paid a working visit to Azerbaijan (The 18th Summit meeting of Non-Aligned Movement).
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.
June 14-15, 2023 - The Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz 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).
January 13-14,2021 - The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov paid a working visit to Pakistan (The 2nd Trilateral Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Turkey)
December 18-19,2021 - The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov paid a working visit to Pakistan (17th Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation)
October 10, 2023 - The caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Jalil Abbas Jilani paid a working visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan to participate in the 27th meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization held in Shusha.
Inter-parliamentary relations:
June 18-20, 2008 - The Chairman of the Senate of the 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 Speaker of the Milli Majlis 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).
May 31- June 4, 2021 - The Speaker of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan Republic Sahiba Gafarova paid a working and official visit to Pakistan (The 2nd Meeting of the Inter-parliamentary Assembly of the Organization of Economic Cooperation).
July 27-31, 2021 - The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Asad Qaiser paid an official visit to Azerbaijan (The 1st Trilateral Meeting of Speakers of Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Turkey).
May 16-19, 2022 - The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Raja Pervaiz Ashraf paid a working visit to Azerbaijan (The 3rd Meeting of the Inter-parliamentary Assembly of the Organization of Economic Cooperation).
June 30 - July 1, 2022 - The Chairman of the Senate of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani paid a visit to Azerbaijan (Baku Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network).
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.
April 11-13, 2019, A trilateral exhibition of Azerbaijan, Turkiye and Pakistan was held in Baku.
September 5, 2019, The Azerbaijan-Pakistan Business Forum was held in Baku with the organization of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Pakistan and the cooperation of the Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Azerbaijan and the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Pakistan.
October 8-10, 2019, Azerbaijan's tourism potential was promoted at the stand organized by the State Tourism Agency and Azerbaijan Tourism Bureau at the 3rd "Pakistan Travel Mart" tourism exhibition held in Karachi.
October 28-30, 2019, An exhibition of Pakistani goods was held in Baku.
December 10, 2019, Pakistan pharmaceutical products exhibition was held in Baku.
December 1-2, 2021, the 7th meeting of the Azerbaijan-Pakistan Joint Intergovernmental Commission was held in Baku.
June 4-10, 2022, About 100 leading businessmen who are members of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry visited the Republic of Azerbaijan.
June 14-18, 2022, The delegation of businessmen who are members of Pakistan's Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry visited the Republic of Azerbaijan.
August 15-19, 2022, A delegation of businessmen who are members of Pakistan's Faisalabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry visited the Republic of Azerbaijan.
November 22, 2022, Rice from Pakistan with the same origin was exempted from import customs duty by the Republic of Azerbaijan until December 31, 2027.
November 26-December 3, 2022, A delegation of reputable Pakistani businessmen operating in various fields visited the Republic of Azerbaijan. On December 1, 2022, a business forum was held with the participation of the business circles of both countries, jointly organized by the embassy and AZPROMO. At the meeting held during the visit, a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Azerbaijan and "Global Business Alliance" was signed.
February 20-22, 2023, Pakistan's Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Masood Malik, Federal Minister for Board of Investment Chaudhry Salik Hussain and Federal Minister for Industries and Production Syed Murtuza Mahmud paid a working visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan.
June 11-18, 2023, the delegation of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry visited the Republic of Azerbaijan.
July 5-7, 2023, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on social and economic issues Khalid Ahadov visited the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
July 17-19, 2023, the Minister of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan Rashad Nabiyev visited the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
July 24-25, 2023, CEO of "SOCAR Trading" company Maryam Almaszade visited the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
July 31-August 1, 2023, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan Kamal Abbasov visited the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
September 22, 2023, AZAL started direct flights on the Baku-Lahore-Baku route.
November 1, 2023, AZAL started direct flights on the Baku-Islamabad-Baku route.
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.
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 (AIDA) 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.
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.
April 4, 2019, The Heydar Aliyev Foundation sent gifts to the Rara High School for girls in Muzaffarabad.Representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Pakistan visited the school and presented there various school equipment, including computers, printers, sport equipment and different publications of the Foundation.
May 2019, The "Azerbaijan Study Center" was inaugurated in the National Library of Pakistan with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.
June 16, 2021, The Lane was named after the great Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjavi (Nizami Ganjavi Lane) in the University town of Peshawar, KPK of Pakistan.
July 31, 2021, The Pakistan Cultural Center was inaugurated at the Azerbaijan University of Languages.
August 2021, A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Baku State University and Lahore University of Pakistan.
January 17, 2022, A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and Government College University Lahore of Pakistan.
May 2022, The "Colors of Pakistan" group participated in "Kharibulbul" International Folklore Festival held in Shusha.
June 6, 2022, the Azerbaijan Language and Culture Center was inaugurated at the National University of Modern Languages of Pakistan with the initiative and organization of the Azerbaijan University of Languages and the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Pakistan.
September 2022, A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Center for the Analysis of International Relations and the Muslim Institute of Pakistan.
October 18-20, 2022, Federal Ombudsman of Pakistan Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi participated in the 23rd meeting of the Board of Directors of the Asian Ombudsman Association held in Azerbaijan.
September 2023, Pakistan's Caretaker Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Muhammad Sami Saeed participated in the 2nd Azerbaijan National Urban Forum held in Zangilan.
September 21, 2023, A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Institute for Development and Diplomacy of ADA University and the Islamabad Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad.
October 9, 2023, the 8th International Conference on Medical Education was held in Baku with the organization of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan Medical University and Riphah International University of Pakistan.
October 2023, A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Pakistan's National University of Science and Technology and ADA University.
October 2023, A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Pakistan's National University of Science and Technology Azerbaijan Technical University.
October 2023, A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between ADA University and the Foreign Service Academy of Pakistan.
October 2023, A new room of the Azerbaijan-Urdu Research Center was opened at the Government College University Lahore of Pakistan.
December 26, 2023, The Embassy opened an auditorium named after Heydar Aliyev at the National University of Science and Technology of Pakistan.
November 29, 2023, A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication and the Pakistan Council on Foreign Relations.
Contractual-legal basis:
38 documents were signed between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 22 is under consideration.
